§ 25. Mr. E. DUNNasked the Minister of Labour in view of the fact that many men who have been unemployed for long periods will be employed for a few days at Christmas time by the Post Office, by local authorities, and by other persons, whether he will suspend the operation of the Unemployment Regulations with regard to temporary employment so that the men so employed may receive the maximum financial benefits arising from such employment?
§ Mr. E. BROWNI have no power to alter the Regulations. I should point out that the Regulations already provide for a proportion of the applicants' earnings to be disregarded.
§ Mr. DUNNSurely, the Minister must realise that there are thousands of people in this country who at Christmas time provide an extra day's work for unemployed men, and that not only the unemployed but the people they employ themselves offer strenuous resistance to the Regulations, and that it creates real hardship to the unemployed in this country?
§ Mr. BROWNAs I pointed out to the hon. Member, it is for that reason that a special disregard was put into the Regulations.