HC Deb 14 March 1928 vol 214 cc1906-8
29. Mr. PALING

asked the Minister of Labour the number of miners recorded as unemployed at the Employment Exchanges at Doncaster, Wakefield, Barnsley, Rotherham and Pontefract for each of the last four months, respectively?

Sir A. STEEL-MAITLAND

As the reply includes a number of figures, I will, with the hon. Member's permission, circulate a statement in the OFFICIAL REPORT.

Following is the statement:

the Employment Exchange, Mexborough, during January and February, 1928, how many applications were successful, and how many were rejected;

(2) how many applications for extended benefits were rejected during January and February, 1928, by the Mexborough Employment Exchange on the grounds that the applicants were not attempting to find employment?

Sir A. STEEL-MAITLAND

During the two months ended 13th February, 1928, 419 applications for extended benefit were considered by the Mexborough Local Employment Committee, of which 332 were recommended for allowance and 87 for disallowance. Of this number 36 applications were recommended for disallowance on the ground that the applicants were not making every reasonable effort to obtain suitable employment.

Mr. WILLIAMS

Is it not a fact that unemployment in that district is constantly on the increase; and that these applicants arc not only being deprived of that to which they are legitimately entitled, but are being grossly insulted by the suggestion that they are not attempting to find work?

Sir A. STEEL-MAITLAND

The answer to both supplementary questions, as far as I know, is in the negative. I have no reason to believe that the disallowance was contrary to the merits, and I do not believe for a single moment that any insult was either intended or given.

Mr. WILLIAMS

Is the right hon. Gentleman not aware that within the last three weeks I have given two cases where workmen have been employed continuously for over 56 weeks, and, when they have sought unemployment pay have had their applications rejected on the ground that they were not genuinely seeking work? Does he think that fair administration?

Mr. SPEAKER

We cannot argue that question.

32. Mr. WILLIAMS

asked the Minister of Labour the number of people who were registered as unemployed at the Mexborough Employment Exchange in the last week of January and the last week of February, or the latest date for which figures are available?

Sir A. STEEL-MAITLAND

The number of persons on the registers of the Mexborough Employment Exchange at 30th January, 1928, was 828, including 254 temporarily stopped, as compared with 3,081, including 2,316 temporarily stopped, at 5th March, 1928.

Mr. WILLIAMS

In view of these figures, which show a 400 per cent increase in that period, does the right hon. Gentleman think that these decisions of the Mexborough Employment Exchange are consistent with the known facts of unemployment?

Sir A. STEEL-MAITLAND

I have no reason to believe that they are not. It is a question of the temporary stoppage of a certain number of persons, and the duty of all Exchanges, whether by the insurance officers for standard benefit, or the committees for extended benefit, are to look into the whole facts of the case. I will review any case that is brought to me.