68. Miss WARDasked the Minister of Labour whether his attention has been drawn to the case of W. D. Bell, of
§ which the question asks. As the question asks for the latest available figures, those will be the figures given.
§ Mr. LOFTUSWill the figures also include the export of cattle.
§ Mr. SPEAKERThe hon. Member must wait and see.
§ Following is the statement:
§ Willington Quay, Northumberland, whose portion of Army Reserve pay due during the period he was on standard benefit has been taken into consideration by the Unemployment Assistance Board; and whether this policy has the approval of the Ministry of Labour?
§ The MINISTER of LABOUR (Mr. Ernest Brown)I would remind my hon. Friend that the responsibility for dealing with individual cases rests with the Unemployment Assistance Board, subject to the statutory rights of appeal. The basis on which the Board deal with Army Reserve Pay is set out in the Appendix to Command Paper 4791. I am informed by the Board that if any case has special circumstances they are taken into account, and I would point out further that the allowance cannot in any case be 359 less than the amount which the applicant would receive by way of transitional payments.
Miss WARDMay I ask for an assurance that the principle contained in my question will be considered before the new regulations are introduced into the House? As it stands at present, the man's Army Reserve pay was taken into consideration while he was on standard benefit. It does not relate to the period when he is on transitional payment.
§ Mr. BUCHANANIs it legal for the board to take into account any sum received in income when the man was on standard benefit? Is it not the practice of the board only to take into account such sums as are due after the transitional period has started?
§ Mr. BROWNI cannot answer that question by way of a supplementary. There is a long series of propositions involved. If my hon. Friend will put the question down, I will answer it.
§ Mr. BUCHANANHave the board any right to take into account the income which was due while the man was on standard benefit? Have they the right to interfere with the man's income during the standard benefit period?
§ Mr. BUCHANANOn that point the question is, have the board any right to inquire into the question of the man receiving pay during the time that he is in receipt of standard benefit? Have they any right to include that income during his standard benefit period?
§ Mr. BROWNI cannot answer the question in that simple form. If the hon. Member will put it down in that form, I will give him an answer, with all the propositions in mind.
§ Mr. T. SMITHIs the Minister aware that the latter part of the question asks whether this policy has the approval of the Ministry of Labour? Are we to take it that this question has not been considered?