§ 26. Mr. TOWNENDasked the Minister of Labour the number of men and women, respectively, who have been refused benefit at the Stockport Employment Exchange for the last 12 weeks on the ground of not genuinely seeking work; the number, respectively, who have appealed; and the number, respectively, who were successful on appeal?
§ Sir A. STEEL-MAITLANDDuring the three months ended 14th January, 1929, 58 applications for unemployment benefit by men and 252 by women made at the Stockport Employment Exchange were disallowed by the insurance officer on the ground that the applicants were not genuinely seeking work. I am unable to state how many of these applicants appealed against the decisions. In addition 30 claims by men and 18 by women were recommended for disallowance on the same ground by the Court of Referees on review after 78 days' benefit had been paid within the preceding six months.
Mr. BECKETTHas the right hon. Gentleman yet made up his mind what is meant by the phrase "genuinely seeking work"?
§ Mr. TOWNENDIs it not possible to get the information as to the number of appeals to the referees?
§ Sir A, STEEL-MAITLANDI could give the hon. Member the number of appeals for the area for which the Court of Referees sits, but not for each district within that area.
§ Sir A. STEEL-MAITLANDThere are appeals within certain conditions, particulars of which I can give to the hon Member.
§ Mr. TOWNENDWould it not be possible for the right hon. Gentleman to obtain the information respecting the Stockport area from the Stockport Employment Exchange?
§ Sir A. STEEL-MAITLANDNot without undue trouble.
§ Mr. SPEAKERI would remind hon. Members that we are getting on very slowly with the questions upon the Paper.
§ 32. Mr. STEPHENasked the Minister of Labour if he is aware that, for the four weeks ended 10th December, 1928, the percentage of disallowances by insurance officers is much higher than in the previous year; and if, in view of the greater amount of unemployment and consequent difficulty in finding work, he will advise his officers that, in every case where there is doubt, the benefit of the doubt should be given to the applicant for benefit?
§ Sir A. STEEL-MAITLANDAt the end of 1928 the insurance officers dealt with large numbers of cases which a year previously would have been dealt with by rota committees; the proportions of disallowances by insurance officers in the two periods are therefore not comparable. In any event, I could not issue the instructions which the hon. Member suggests, since I should thereby be attempting, most improperly, to influence the decisions on claims to benefit.
§ Mr. STEPHENIs not the fact that the insurance officer is dealing with these cases a reason why the right hon. Gentleman should instruct his officers to give the benefit of the doubt? Why should the benefit of the doubt be against the men?
§ Sir A. STEEL-MAITLANDCertainly not.
Mr. BECKETTIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that the whole trouble in the different districts is the interpretation of what is meant by "genuinely seeking work"? Will the right hon. Gentleman issue a circular or give an answer in this House defining what is "genuinely seeking work"?
§ Sir A. STEEL-MAITLANDI have already dealt with that question in detail. If the hon. Member wishes, I can give him the Umpire's decision on the point.
§ 38. Mr. OLIVERasked the Minister of Labour whether he will issue instructions that, in cases where unemployed men are charged with an offence arising independently of the receipt of unemployment benefit, such persons shall not be deprived of their benefit by local officials of the Ministry until they have been found guilty of the offence for which they are charged by the Court?
§ Sir A. STEEL-MAITLANDLocal officials of the Ministry are not empowered to disallow claims for benefit. If they are aware of circumstances which throw doubt on a claimant's title to benefit they must refer the matter to the chief insurance officer who would have regard to such of the facts as might have a bearing on the conditions for the receipt of benefit.
§ Mr. OLIVERWhat right has an insurance officer to institute an inquiry in a case where a man is to be brought before a competent Court who will have to decide whether or not he has been guilty of a felony? What right has an officer of the Ministry of Labour to say that such a man is guilty before the Court has had an opportunity of expressing its opinion?
§ Sir A. STEEL-MAITLANDThe hon. Member has misunderstood the facts of the case. What is desired by hon. Members opposite is that a decision shall be given with as little delay as possible, and it is right for an insurance officer to try to deal with the case as quickly as possible. If he does so, he has to take all relevant considerations into account, and he cannot keep out of his mind any circumstances arising out of another case.
§ Mr. OLIVERI am afraid the Minister of Labour has not got the essence of the matter. [HON. MEMBERS: "Speech!"] Is the Minister aware that in this particular case the man was charged with an offence quite distinct from any benefit he was receiving from the Ministry of Labour, and that before there was an opportunity of going before the competent Court his benefit was stopped? I want to ask the right hon. Gentleman whether he can justify such conduct on the part of any of his officers?
§ Sir A. STEEL-MAITLANDThe hon. Member refers to a particular case. He does not refer to any particular case in his question, and I know of no particular 935 case. If he has any particular case of this nature in his mind, perhaps he will communicate with me about it.
§ Mr. MACLEANArising out of that reply—
§ Mr. SPEAKERWe are getting on very slowly with Questions.
§ 39. Mr. J. H. THOMASasked the Minister of Labour whether his attention has been called to the action of the Derby Employment Exchange in stopping unemployment insurance benefit to two fitters named Herbert and Smedley, because they were unable to pay for medical certificates of fitness for employment in the Army Ordnance Depot at Aldershot; and whether he will cause full inquiry to be made into the case?
§ Sir A. STEEL-MAITLANDI am having inquiry made into these cases and will let the right hon. Member know the result as soon as possible.
§ 41. Mr. BATEYasked the Minister of Labour the number of unemployed miners in the County of Durham whose insurance benefit has been stopped during the last 12 months?
§ Sir A. STEEL-MAITLANDI regret that statistics giving the information desired are not available.
§ 42. Mr. KELLYasked the Minister of Labour the number of men and women who were denied unemployment insurance benefit at the Rochdale Employment Ex change during 1928 on the point of not genuinely seeking work?
§ Sir A. STEEL-MAITLANDComplete statistics of the disallowace of claims to unemployment benefit made at the Rochdale Employment Exchange are available only from the 19th April, 1928. Between that date and 14th January, 1929, 265 claims made at that exchange by men and 383 by women were disallowed by insurance officers on the ground that the claimants were not genuinely seeking work. In addition, 81 claims by men and 42 by women were recommended for disallowance on the same ground by Courts of Referees on review after 78 days' benefit had been paid during the preceding six months.
§ Mr. KELLYWere the people who were refused benefit by the insurance officer informed that they had the right of appeal to the Court of Referees?
§ Sir A. STEEL-MAITLANDI think so, but, if the hon. Member wishes, I will look into the matter, or if he will put down a question I will give him an answer.