HC Deb 25 April 1929 vol 227 cc1060-1
49. Mr. LANSBURY

asked the Minister of Labour whether he is now in a position to state on what grounds Mrs. Porteous, of 24, Rich Street, Poplar, was refused unemployment benefit by the West India Dock Road Employment Exchange?

Mr. BETTERTON

This claim was disallowed by the insurance officer on 2nd July, 1928, and at various dates subsequently on the ground that the claimant had not shown that she was genuinely seeking work. She has appealed to the court of referees three times and on each occasion the court confirmed the disallowance, the last occasion being on 2nd April of this year.

Mr. LANSBURY

Will the hon. Gentleman take some trouble to investigate this case, seeing that this woman had been employed for 10 years, that she had never been out of work, and was only discharged because of marriage, and that there is not the slightest evidence that she is not genuinely seeking work?

Mr. BETTERTON

As the hon. Gentleman knows, the question of the merits is not one for me. This case was heard on three separate occasions before the court of referees, and, if the hon. Gentleman likes, I will send him a record of the proceedings, which no doubt will give him the information he desires.

50. Mr. LANSBURY

asked the Minister of Labour how many women applying for unemployment benefit on the occasion of discharge from employment owing to marriage have been refused benefit on the ground that they were not genuinely seeking work by the officials at the Hackney, Poplar, Stratford, and Aldgate Exchanges?

Mr. BETTERTON

No statistics are available on this point. I would remind the hon. Member that the disallowance of benefit rests not with the Exchange officials but with the Insurance officers.

Mr. LANSBURY

Is the hon. Gentleman aware that women in the East End who get married are, automatically, refused out-of-work benefit for which many of them have been paying during the whole of their working years? They pay in, but never get a farthing out, and are simply barred because they are married. Is the hon. Gentleman aware that it is the rule at the Exchanges to refuse them unemployment benefit automatically?

Mr. BETTERTON

I am not aware of that; but the hon. Gentleman knows that these cases are not decided by the Ministry, but by the statutory authorities appointed under the Act.