§ 50. Mr. C. EDWARDSasked the Minister of Labour whether he is aware that the work of the Employment Exchange at Blackwood, Monmouthshire, is 1921 carried on in a small room in a shop that will only hold six persons; that there are at present nearly 500 unemployed there; that these men and women have to wait sometimes over two hours in the cold and rain to register, etc.; that many of them have poor and insufficient clothes and bad boots, and that, consequently, their health is endangered by this needless exposure; that there is a hall available for which the unemployed them-salves have offered to pay, but they are told they cannot go there unless there are over 500 unemployed; and will he take steps to rectify these grievances?
§ Sir A. STEEL-MAITLANDI understand that there are under 400 persons claiming unemployment benefit at Blackwood. A quarter-hourly timing system is in operation and provided that claimants keep to the time table there should be no overcrowding or necessity for waiting outside the premises. Extra accommodation therefore ought not to be necessary, but if unemployment should increase extra accommodation would be obtained as has been done in the past.