§ 5. Miss WILKINSONasked the Minister of Labour whether his attention has been called to a statement by the manager of the Jarrow Employment Exchange that unemployed men who join the proposed march of Jarrow men to London will lose their benefits; whether this statement has been made on his authority; and, if so, seeing that men marching through towns outside Jarrow may be more likely to be offered work than those who remain in the town in its present condition, under what regulation is this threat made?
§ Mr. E. BROWNI am informed that the statement made by the manager of the Jarrow Employment Exchange was to the effect that no decision could be given in advance but that in similar cases in the past the independent statutory authorities had disallowed claims to benefit. The decision whether benefit would be payable does not rest with me.
§ Miss WILKINSONWith whom does it rest?
§ Mr. BROWNIt is the normal legal procedure. The insurance officer makes his decision subject to the statutory rights of appeal. It is an absolutely legal decision.
§ Miss WILKINSONIn that case why was it possible for the officer to state that all these men would lose their benefit and that he did not, therefore, think that many would join the march? May I ask whether some representations will be made to this officer not to prejudge the Ministerial decision and the legal decision as well?
§ Mr. BROWNThe hon. Lady has made ex parte statements and I cannot accept 1696 them, although she makes them in good faith. I have given an answer, after very careful inquiry.
§ Mr. LAWSONIf these men go on the inarch in order to get work, would not they be judged as seeking work?
§ Mr. BROWNIt will depend entirely on the facts of the case. There have been one or two cases in which the facts have been that way, but on the whole the decisions of the last 10 years have been the other way.
§ Miss WILKINSONCan the right hon. Gentleman say whether we ought to take one man as a test case from Jarrow to London and then have a legal decision before we have a thousand men going?
§ Mr. LAWSONrose—