§ 25. Mr. W. BAKERasked the Minister of Labour the number of men in the city of Bristol who have been refused benefit during each month of the present year on the ground that they were not genuinely seeking employment?
§ The PARLIAMENTARY SECRETARY to the MINISTRY of LABOUR (Mr. Betterton)As the answer involves a tabular statement, I will, if I may, circulate it in the OFFICIAL REPORT.
§ Following is the answer:
§ Between 13th January and 16th November the number of applications from men for extended benefit which were refused by the Bristol Local Employment Committee on the ground that the applicants were not making reasonable efforts to secure whole time employment was 391 as shown in the following statement:
§ APPLICATIONS FROM MEN FOR EXTENDED BENEFIT refused by the Bristol Local Employment Committee in 1925 on the ground that the applicants were not making reasonable efforts to secure whole time employment.
| Period. | No refused. |
| 13th January to 9th February | 39 |
| 10th February to 9th March | 27 |
| 10th March to 13th April | 28 |
| 14th April to 11th May | 34 |
| 12th May to 8th June | 24 |
| 9th June to 13th July | 62 |
| 14th July to 24th August | 11 |
| 25th August to 14th September | 15 |
| 15th September to 12th October | 15 |
| 13th October to 16th November | 136 |
| Total | 391 |
§ The numbers of applications for standard benefit which were refused are not available.
30. Mr. TREVELYAN THOMSONasked the Minister of Labour the number of persons who have applied for extended benefit in Middlesbrough during the past two months and the number who have been refused on the grounds that they have not had a reasonable period of employment during the past two years?
§ Mr. BETTERTONDuring the period 15th September to 16th November, 10,232 applications for extended benefit were considered by the local employment committee at Middlesbrough. Of these 811 were refused on the ground that the applicants had not had a reasonable period of insurable employment within the previous two years.
Mr. THOMSONIn considering these cases is the local committee entitled to take into consideration the abnormal amount of unemployment in the district and to give special consideration on that account?
§ Mr. BETTERTONI am not sure that I understand the hon. Member clearly. If he has any case in regard to Middlesbrough which he desires to bring before the Goschen Committee, I shall be glad to have it.
§ 31. Mr. STAMFORDasked the Minister of Labour the number of applicants for extended benefit at the Leeds Exchanges during the last two months; the number to whom benefit has been refused; and the corresponding figures for last year?
§ Mr. BETTERTONDuring the period 15th September to 13h November, 1925, 8,266 applications for extended benefit were considered by the Leeds Employment Committee, of which l,606 were refused. During the period 9th September to 10th November, 1924, 7,115 applications were considered and 743 refused.
§ 38. Mr. LANSBURYasked the Minister of Labour why Miss E. W. Edwards was refused her claim to unemployment benefit on 13th August, 10th October, and 21st November, on the ground that at the time of each application she was not genuinely seeking employment; what was the evidence laid before the Stepney Committee which led them to arrive at their decisions; and the number of years Miss Edwards has paid into the fund, and the total amount of unemployment benefit she has been paid during that period?
§ Mr. BETTERTONI am inquiring into this case, and will let the hon. Member know the result as soon as possible.
§ Mr. LANSBURYMay I ask the hon. Member to inquire whether the woman officer at Stepney Exchange is in the habit of insulting the women who make applications?
§ 39. Mr. LANSBURYasked the Minister of Labour why Miss A. L. Jeffrey was refused unemployment benefit by the Hackney Employment Exchange on 11th November on the ground that she was not genuinely seeking work, seeing that no evidence was placed before her by the officer who communicated the decision; arid will he state the number of years Miss Jeffrey has paid into the fund, the amount of unemployment pay she has received from the fund, the date she last fell out of work and signed on, the date the authorities decided that she was not genuinely seeking work, and the evidence on which their decision was based?
§ Mr. BETTERTONI am inquiring into this case and will let the hon. Member know the result as soon as possible.
§ Mr. LANSBURYMay I ask that the answer should be put through the OFFICIAL REPORT, SO that the whole House may know what the answer is?
§ Mr. BETTERTONCertainly. I will see that both answers are put in the OFFICIAL REPORT.
§ 41 and 42. Mr. SCURRasked the Minister of Labour (1) the number of persons who have been refused benefit during the last two months in the administrative county of London on the grounds of not genuinely seeking employment;
(2) the number of persons who have applied for extended benefit in the administrative county of London during the past two months and the number who have been refused on the grounds that they have not had a reasonable period of employment during the past two years?
§ 54. Mr. KELLYasked the Minister of Labour the number of persons who applied for extended benefit in each month of the present year at the Rochdale Employment Exchange; and the number and percentage of cases in which benefit was refused?
§ 55. Mr. BUCHANANasked the Minister of Labour the number of applicants for extended benefit in Glasgow who have been refused during the eight weeks previous to 16th November, 1925?
§ 57 and 58. Mr. STEPHENasked the Minister of Labour (1) the number of 438 applicants for extended benefit in Glasgow since the coming into operation of the Unemployment Insurance Act, 1925; and the number of cases in which benefit has been refused in consequence of the new Regulations:
(2) the number of claims for extended benefit since the coming into operation of the Unemployment Insurance Act, 1925; the number of claims refused; and the number of such claims in which the applicant has ceased to sign at the Employment Exchange?
§ Mr. BETTERTONIt has not been practicable in the time since these questions appeared on the Paper to have the detailed information required in each case prepared. The information is being extracted from the official records, and as soon as this has been completed, I will circulate a statement in the OFFICIAL REPORT.
Mr. BECKETTCan the hon. Gentleman give any clue as to how these men can prove that they are genuinely seeking work?