§ 7. Mr. McSHANEasked the Minister of Labour whether she is aware that Mr. Harry Lynex, of 100, Cobden Street Walsall, was sent, under threat of losing his unemployment pay, by the Walsall Employment Exchange to a labourer's situation at Southampton; that there, within a few days, he contracted meningitis from which he died; that this disease is infectious and endemic in seaports and barrack towns; and that to bring his body home his parents, who are poor, had to pay £11 10s., apart from funeral expenses; and whether, under these circumstances, she will consider making some ex-gratia payment to his parents for the financial loss sustained?
§ Miss BONDFIELDMr. Lynex was in training at the Department's centre at 2020 Garrison Lane, Birmingham, for the six months ending 6th March, 1929, and during that period lived at home. Employment was not available for him immediately after the end of his training but he was placed in a job at Southampton on 15th July, 1929. I have made inquiries into the allegation that he was sent to this job under threat of losing his unemployment benefit, and have ascertained that when Mr. Lynex was interviewed and informed of the vacancy he expressed his satisfaction and agreement to undertake the work, and that no question arose with regard to threatened loss of benefit. I desire to express my sympathy with his parents on account of his death, but as regards any question of making an ex-gratia payment I must make it clear that there is no ground on which such a payment could be justified.
§ Mr. McSHANEWith regard to the second part of the answer that there was no loss of unemployment benefit, is the right hon. Lady aware that he had already been thrown off his benefit? When he was thrown off, he was told that his parents would have to keep him. We took the matter up and got him re-established on unemployment benefit.
§ Miss BONDFIELDThat information does not accord with the information in my possession.
§ Mr. McSHANEApart altogether from the personal sorrow of the father and mother in this case, I would like to ask the right hon. Lady whether I am to understand that, in sad cases like this, there is to be no touch of human kindness at all in the Ministry of Labour?
§ Mr. HERBERT GIBSONIs it the Minister's opinion that in exceptional cases like this—[Interruption].
§ Mr. McSHANEI wish to give notice that, owing to the unsatisfactory nature of the reply, I shall raise this matter at the earliest opportunity on the Adjournment.