40. Mr. T. THOMSONasked the Minister of Labour whether he is aware that one of the effects of his new Regulations increasing the number of stamps required to qualify for unemployment benefit will be to seriously add to the rates of Middlesbrough and other towns where the amount of unemployment has been excessive during the last few years; and will he consult the local employment committees and the boards of guardian in such districts in order to ascertain the probable effect on the local rates before putting these new Regulations into force?
§ Sir A. STEEL-MAITLANDI have no doubt that a certain number of persons at Middlesbrough will cease to obtain benefit as a result of the new rule, but I do not think that the proportion so affected at Middlesbrough will be found to be a high one.
Mr. THOMSONWill the right hon. Gentleman consult the local employment committee and the boards of guardians and see the. disastrous effect that will be caused to the rates?
§ Mr. BUCHANANIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that in Glasgow alone 3,000 people extra have been thrown on the Poor Law as a result of the circular?
§ Sir A. STEEL-MAITLANDI am not aware of that, and I should be surprised if that were the case: certainly it is not the case at any one Exchange in Glasgow.
§ Mr. BUCHANANIn the whole of Glasgow.
§ Sir A. STEEL-MAITLANDI should be surprised if it were so in Glasgow as a whole.
Mr. THOMSONWill the hon. Member consult the local authorities so that he may have the true facts of the case?
§ Sir A. STEEL-MAITLANDI have the true facts of the case returned to me, and as soon as I am able to collect them I will consult the local authorities. I can only repeat that any extra burden thrown on the poor rate by this circular is infinitely less than the relief which the same local authorities received at a comparatively recent date.
§ 39. Mr. LANSBURYasked the Minister of Labour whether he can give the House any information as to the number of men likely to be struck off the roll of those entitled to receive unemployment pay on 1st October next, when the Regulation as to 30 stamps comes into operation; will he, in order that men and women likely to be affected may understand the law, state to the House what is the effect of the Regulation which insists that an applicant must have 30 stamps on his card put there during the preceding two years; will he tell the House when the Regulation was first made, and how often its operation has been held up by legislation in this House; and will he, in order to prevent great hardship on individual men and women, and financial burdens being thrown upon boards of guardians and local authorities, introduce a short Bill to amend the law?
§ Sir A. STEEL-MAITLANDIt is a matter of considerable difficulty to estimate the numbers affected by this requirement at any particular date, and I am afraid it is impossible to forecast with any accuracy the numbers who would be disqualified under it at the beginning of next October. The requirement was imposed by Section 3 (1) (a) of the Unemployment Insurance (No. 2) Act, 1924, passed on 1st August last. Section 3 (2) of that Act gives the Minister of Labour power to suspend the operation of this requirement in any case in which he thinks fit to do so, in the period up to 1st October next, but not after that date. The period during which the 30 contributions have to be paid is that since the beginning of the last 423 insurance year but one, and may, according to circumstances, be anything from two to nearly four years. With regard to the last part of the question, I can give no undertaking with regard to future legislation.
§ Mr. LANSBURYIn view of the universal disapprobation of these regulations, will the right hon. Gentleman consider bringing in a short Bill to enable him to carry on after 1st October, as he will be able to do up to that date?
§ Sir A. STEEL-MAITLANDI do not necessarily accept the view of the hon. Member as regards universal dissatisfaction. There may be a different view from his, but the hon. Member is well aware that one must review the possibilities of what should or should not be done in the light of the position of trade and other circumstances. That is the reason why it is impossible at this stage to give an answer on the point to which he has referred.
§ Mr. J. JONESIs the Minister aware that since these regulations came into effect 1,000 men and women have come under the boards of guardians in our own localities, because they cannot get unemployment benefit? What good is it to take these people off the unemployment register, if they have to go to the local guardians? You are making the poor keep the poor.
§ Mr. KIRKWOODWe are the victims of this in Scotland.
§ Sir A. STEEL-MAITLANDI am not aware of the fact mentioned by the hon. Member for Silvertown.