§ 28. Mr. OLIVERasked the Minister of Labour whether he is aware that an unemployed miner, of Ripley, Derbyshire, has lost his unemployment benefit because of his working of an allotment of a quarter of an acre which he has possessed for a number of years; and whether it is his intention to restore the benefit?
§ Mr. BETTERTONI am not aware of the case, but if the hon. Member will give me the name and address of the claimant I will have inquiry made.
§ Mr. OLIVERI understand that benefit has been stopped pending the inquiry. While the hon. Member is inquiring into this case, will he also ascertain whether it is the custom of his Department to stop benefit while inquiries are going on?
§ Mr. BETTERTONAs I told the hon. Gentleman, I am making full inquiries into the case, but, quite obviously, we cannot pay benefit until we are satisfied that the claimant is entitled to it.
§ Mr. OLIVERI think the hon. Member misunderstood my question. Benefit has been paid, but is now being stopped. They stopped the benefit and are inquiring whether the man is entitled to receive it in consequence of working a quarter-acre allotment.
§ Mr. BETTERTONI think this is a case in which the fullest inquiry should be made, because, presuming the statements in the question are true, I can, on the face of it, see no reason why benefit should be withheld. For that reason, I am making the fullest and immediate inquiries.
§ Mr. MACLEANIs it not perfectly well known to the local Exchange officials that a man in this capacity may work an allotment without having his benefit 216 brought into question? There is no occasion for the local Exchange officials to make any inquiry whatever, if they follow the regulations issued by the hon. Member.
§ Mr. BETTERTONThat is exactly what I have just said—that on the face of it I can see no reason why benefit should be stopped, that is, on the facts as they are put in the question; and, therefore, I am making full and immediate inquiries into the circumstances.
§ Mr. KELLYIn view of that, could not benefit be restored to the man in the meantime, seeing that the umpire has already decided a similar case in favour of the applicant?
§ Mr. BETTERTONI am making inquiry into the whole ease, and I will do whatever is possible.