6. Sir F. HALLasked the Minister of Labour if she will arrange for a Return to be prepared for the information of the House showing for each Exchange the number of persons who have received unemployment benefit for six months or more during each year since they have been on the books of the Exchange; and the number of persons now receiving benefit who have at any time previously been convicted of fraudulent conduct in connection with the obtaining of such benefit or of any other offence against the law for which they have been sentenced to a term of imprisonment?
§ Miss BONDFIELDAs regards the first part of the question, I regret that statistics are not available in the form desired by the hon. and gallant Member. I am, however, sending him a copy 01 the "Ministry of Labour Gazette" for January last, which contains, on pages 6 to 8, an article giving some information on the subject obtained by means of a sample inquiry. Statistics are not available with regard to the second part of the question.
Sir F. HALLDoes not the right hon. Lady think more attention should be paid to the suggestion in the last part of my Question, and is she not aware that in such cases time after time men have been imprisoned and have come out of prison and then got unemployment benefit?
§ Miss BONDFIELDMay I point out to the hon. and gallant Member that they come to the Employment Exchange after having been in employment, and it is not for the Exchange to ask if they have been in prison.
Sir F. HALLWill the right hon. Lady look into that part and see whether any alteration is necessary, in order that the Unemployment Fund should not be used for the purposes referred to?