§ 1. Mr. KIRKWOODasked the Minister of Labour what answer he has given to the protests which have been sent to him by churches of all denominations in the West of Scotland against the distress which is being caused by the operation of the means test in all sections of the community; and what action he contemplates taking?
§ The MINISTER of LABOUR (Sir Henry Betterton)The only protests of this description which I have received are one from a meeting of church workers held at a Glasgow church and one from the Kirk Session of another Glasgow church forwarded to me within the past few days by the hon. Member. I have noted these protests.
§ Mr. KIRKWOODThe Minister simply says that he has noted these protests, but I want to know what action he is going to take?
§ Sir H. BETTERTONAs the hon. Gentleman knows, I have constantly stated in this House the justification for the means test, and I have constantly taken such action as I was able to take to ensure that it worked fairly.
§ 3. Mr. KIRKWOODasked the Minister of Labour whether he is aware that the 3,700 men thrown idle as a result of the stopping of work on the new Cunarder have in most cases since been in receipt of unemployment benefit, but as the 26 weeks' period will expire by the middle of next month 2,500 of them will have to stand the means test to receive further benefit, and as a result many of them will be cut off from further payments, while many others will have their allowance reduced; and whether, in view of this and similar cases, the Government will do away with the means test?
§ Sir H. BETTERTONI have nothing to add to the reply which I gave to a similar question by the hon. Member on 5th May.
§ Mr. KIRKWOODHas not the right hon. Gentleman seen a speech that was delivered at the Assembly in Edinburgh on Wednesday, in which the Reverend John Munro distinctly stated that the means test in operation in Scotland was breaking the hearts of tens of thousands of decent men and women, and what action is the right hon. Gentleman going to take there?
§ Sir H. BETTERTONI have not seen the report of that speech.
§ Mr. KIRKWOODIf I put before the right hon. Gentleman the speech, and the approval that it met with at the General Assembly, with Sir Iain Colquhoun in the chair, will he tell me what action he will take?
§ Sir H. BETTERTONAgain, I cannot add to what I have already said. With regard to the question on the Paper, of course these men will not have their benefit stopped or reduced unless they have exhausted their insurance rights and their means justify such action.
§ Mr. KIRKWOODOwing to the unsatisfactory nature of the reply, I beg to give notice that I shall raise this question of the means test on the very first available opportunity.
§ 4. Mr. SMEDLEY CROOKEasked the Minister of Labour if he is aware that, arising from an interview between a representative of his Department and the chairman of the Birmingham public assistance committee, amended regulations have been issued by that committee to the sectional relief sub-committees on the subject of special cases; and will he now consider the advisability of making it clear to all applicants that they have the right to ask to appear before the sub-committee if they are not satisfied with the determination arrived at?
§ Sir H. BETTERTONThe arrangements for interviewing applicants for transitional payments are within the discretion of the authority concerned. I understand that it is the practice of all sub-committees dealing with transitional payments in Birmingham to grant an interview whenever they are requested to do so by an applicant.