HC Deb 22 July 1930 vol 241 cc1933-5
38. Mr. EDE

asked the Minister of Labour the number of claims at the South Shields Employment Exchange to unemployment benefit rejected from the coming into force of the present Act to the latest available date on the ground that the applicant was not normally in insurable occupation; and the number of claims rejected at the same Exchange in the corresponding period of last year on the ground that the applicant was not genuinely seeking work?

Mr. LAWSON

During the period of 13th March to 9th June, 1930, out of 12,128 claims made at the South Shields and East Bolden Employment Exchanges, 173 were disallowed by the court of referees for that area on the ground "not normally insurable." During the period 12th March, 1929, to 10th June, 1929, out of 9,857 claims made, 142 were disallowed by insurance officers on the ground "not genuinely seeking work," and six cases were recommended for disallowance on the same ground by courts of referees on review after payment of 78 days' benefit.

Mr. EDE

Can the hon. Member say if it is possible to trace how far these numbers refer to the same set of people each year?

Mr. LAWSON

No, I should require notice of that question, but I may draw the attention of my hon. Friend to the fact that, while the bulk of the claims are larger by 3,000, there is very little difference between the "non-insurable" and the "not genuinely seeking work" cases.

Mr. ERNEST BROWN

Will the hon. Member ask the Minister of Labour whether it would be possible to take certain sample registers, and endeavour to see whether the names are the same, as the matter is very important?

Mr. LAWSON

I will draw my right hon. Friend's attention to what the hon. Member has said.

Mr. BUCHANAN

In the case of the figures dealing with those "not genuinely seeking work" 12 months ago, did those figures include the number disqualified in that period for not having a reasonable period in the two years? If not, does not that make the hon. Member's figures even worse?

Mr. LAWSON

No, Sir. As I have pointed out in my answer to the question, the comparison is between the "non-insurable" cases and those "not genuinely seeking work."

42. Mr. EDE

asked the Minister of Labour the number of persons registered as unemployed in the various principal trades, respectively, at the South Shields Employment Exchange on the last date for which such figures are available, and on the corresponding dates in 1929 and 1928, respectively?

Following is the statement:

Insured Persons recorded as Unemployed at the South Shields Employment Exchange.
Industry. 23rd June, 1930. 24th June, 1929. 25th June, 1928.
Men—
Coal Mining … … … … 2,632 1,424 2,079
Shipbuilding and Ship-repairing … 2,087 1,851 1,524
Shipping Service … … … 1,644 1,047 969
Dock, Harbour, etc., Service … … 876 891 1,086
Marine Engineering … … … 287 200 274
Building … … … … … 246 249 301
Other Industries … … … … 1,394 1,148 1,312
Total … … … … 9,166 6,810 7,545
Women—
Distributive Trades … … … 135 139 113
Hotel, Club, etc., Service … … 80 52 55
Other Industries … … … 100 72 83
Total … … … … 315 263 251