§ 57 and 59. Mr. LANSBURYasked the Minister of Labour (1) whether he is aware that Luther Miller, of Common Side, Church Gresley, a miner with a wife and six children, who qualified for unemployment benefit in the second week following Easter, has not received a penny of the benefit due to him, the explanation given by the local Employment Exchange being that the necessary authority to pay had been delayed by headquarters; and whether, in view of the fact that there is no question as to the validity of the claim, all the regula- 1170 tions having been fulfilled, he will give an explanation of the reasons for the delay in forwarding the necessary authority to the local Employment Exchange;
(2) whether he is aware that Philip Chambers, of 86, Oxford Street, Church Gresley, a miner with a wife and child. who qualified for unemployment benefit in the week after Easter, has not received 3 penny of the benefit due to him, the explanation given by the local Employment Exchange being that the necessary authority to pay had been delayed by headquarters; and whether, in view of the fact that there is no question as to the validity of the claim, all the regulations having been fulfilled, he will give an explanation of the reasons for the delay in forwarding to the local Emplayment Exchange the necessary authority?
§ The MINISTER of LABOUR (Sir Arthur Steel-Maitland)I regret the delay in these two cases, which was due to exceptional pressure at the local office. Payment of benefit was made on 8th June.
§ Mr. LANSBURYWill the right hon. Gentleman take steps to prevent further delay, seeing that it is more than two months since the application was made, and they had no means of living?
§ Sir A. STEEL-MAITLANDI take every possible means to see that payment is made as quickly as possible. Taking all the cases together, I think the payment is made with remarkable promptitude, but in some particular instances there is a sudden and great rush very often in a small place, and that causes delay, which I try to minimise as best I can.
§ Mr. LANSBURYIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that when a protest was made ocally, they were told that the delay occurred not in the small local Exchanges but in his own Department in London.
§ Sir A. STEEL-MAITLANDIf the hon. Member makes that assertion, I will look into it.