HC Deb 02 May 1935 vol 301 cc526-8
4 and 6. Brigadier-General NATION

asked the Minister of Labour (1) whether he has considered the resolution sent to him by the Hull Public Assistance Committee recommending that the additional allowances for persons in outdoor relief and those in receipt of unemployment insurance benefit during Jubilee week be accepted as a charge on the Government; and whether he can make a statement on the subject;

(2) whether he has considered the resolution sent to him by the council of the Association of Municipal Corporations, asking the Government to make provision for the payment of special Jubilee allowances to persons receiving standard unemployment benefit and to include in that payment dependants of 14 years of age and over; and whether the request will be acceded to on this special occasion?

Mr. STANLEY

I have considered the resolutions to which my hon. Friend refers but, as I have already stated in reply to previous questions, I have no funds out of which to make such payments.

25. Mr. MABANE

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether any evidence has been brought to his notice of retail shopkeepers, or organisations of retail shopkeepers, who have proposed to deprive their employ¹s of the statutory weekly half-holiday during the week commencing 6th May, on account of the incidence of a bank holiday on 6th May; and, if so, what organisation or organisations are concerned?

The UNDER-SECRETARY of STATE for the HOME DEPARTMENT (Captain Crookshank)

I would refer the hon. Member to the answer given to a question on this subject by the hon. Member for Westhoughton (Mr. Rhys Davies) on the 29th April. My right hon. Friend has no definite information on the matter, except that he understands that several of the leading organisations of employers in the distributive trades are specifically discouraging any arrangement of the kind suggested.

Mr. MABANE

Is that true of co-operative societies?

Captain CROOKSHANK

I do not know anything about co-operative societies, but I hope that the publicity given to the previous reply and to this reply will discourage any proposals of this kind in every quarter.

Mr. RHYS DAVIES

Is the hon. and gallant Gentleman aware that the reply given by the Home Secretary on Monday has had the desired effect in some quarters, but that one very large local authority in England has sent out a notice to the shopkeepers in that city informing them that they will be quite within their rights in employing their shop assistants on the statutory half-holiday, having given them next Monday as a bank holiday?

Viscountess ASTOR

Shame.

Mr. MABANE

Is not the Under-Secretary's reply that no shopkeepers intend to do this sufficient proof that the question asked by the hon. Member for Westhoughton (Mr. Rhys Davies) last Monday had absolutely no foundation, and has had an undesirable effect on the retail shopkeepers of this country?

Captain CROOKSHANK

I have just said that, so far as I know, several of the leading organisations are specifically discouraging any suggestion of the kind.

Mr. DAVIES

Would the hon. and gallant Gentleman be good enough to look at a telegram which I have received to-day stating that a few shopkeepers are doing what I suggested?

HON. MEMBERS

Co-operative societies?

51. Mr. PIKE

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether it is the intention of the Government to supplement old age and contributory pensions in Jubilee week?

The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER (Mr. Chamberlain)

I would refer my hon. Friend to the answer given on the 25th March, 1935, by the Financial Secretary to a question by the hon. Member for East Fulham (Mr. Wilmot).

Mr. PIKE

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that many recipients of old age and contributory pensions are in a far worse position than those in receipt of unemployment benefit, and should not something be done in the special circumstances to entitle them to receive that little meed of pleasure which is to be enjoyed by those in receipt of public assistance?