APPEALS.

HC Deb 11 July 1928 vol 219 cc2223-4

20. Mr. BUCHANAN

asked the Minister of Labour if he is aware that many claimants to unemployment benefit at the Glasgow Exchanges are availing themselves of the right to appeal their claims to the court of referees; and if he will take steps to have these rights brought more prominently before the notice of claimants?

24. Mr. STEPHEN

asked the Minister of Labour if he is aware that there is uncertainty on the part of unemployed men and women as to whether, when their claims have been rejected by the insurance officer, they may appeal to the court of referees; and whether he will take steps to make sufficiently clear to applicants their rights in this respect?

Sir A. STEEL-MAITLAND

The existing procedure provides for each direct claimant to be informed, individually, of his right to appeal against disallowance of benefit. The form notifying the disallowance contains a paragraph informing him that he is entitled to appeal. I am sending the hon. Members a copy of this form and also of the corresponding form sent to the Association in the case of an indirect claim.

Mr. STEPHEN

Will the Minister look at the form again, and see that the sentence dealing with the right of the applicant to appeal to a court of referees is put a little more prominently in the form. The right hon. Gentleman should remember that he is not dealing with people who have had a great deal of experience in reading.

Sir A. STEEL-MAITLAND

I am perfectly ready to consider that point. The difficulty is that there is no more prominent position in which that statement can be put. I am anxious that everybody should know that they have a right of appeal, but if the hon. Member will look at the form he will find a blank space for the reasons for the disallowance to be written in, and immediately beneath the blank space comes the sentence: You are entitled to appeal against this decision provided your appeal is lodged at this office within 21 days. You could not have anything more prominent than that.

Mr. STEPHEN

Could the right hon. Gentleman arrange to have those lines printed in black type?