32. Mr. ATHOLL ROBERTSONasked the Minister of Labour if he is aware that unemployed men who are drawing benefits for self, wife, and children, and who have the opportunity of learning a trade at the Northern Polytechnic, cannot take advantage of this offer, as unemployment benefit is immediately stopped if they do; and, seeing that juveniles must attend a course of instruction to become eligible for unemployment benefit, can he see his way to extend the same system to adults who are anxious to learn trades, and who, if they could depend on unemployment benefit while training as artisans, would have much greater opportunities of getting back into work when trained?
§ Mr. SHAWIf the hon. Member will send me particulars of the cases he has in mind, I will have inquiries made. While the final decision on such questions rests with the Umpire, the position is that, in general, persons undergoing instruction at technical institutes are not thereby disqualified for benefit, provided, of course, that they remain available for employment.