§ 10. Mr. GRAHAM WHITEasked the Minister of Labour the number of applicants for allowances to the Unemployment Assistance Board who have been dealt with under Sections 40 and 41 of the Unemployment Act, 1934, as cases of special difficulty?
§ Mr. E. BROWNThe board informs me that the latest figures available show that 57 applicants for allowances have been dealt with under Section 40 of the Unemployment Assistance Act, 1934. No applicants have been dealt with under Section 41 of the Act.
§ 12. Mr. LAWSONasked the Minister of Labour whether he has any information at his disposal to show whether the payment of unemployment allowances under the Standstill Order has resulted in any abuse of public money?
§ Mr. BROWNYes, Sir. I would refer the hon. Member to the report of the Unemployment Assistance Board issued on Tuesday.
§ Mr. LAWSONIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that the Government were responsible for the Standstill Order, and is not that a criticism of the Government?
§ Mr. SPEAKERThere are a large number of questions.
§ Mr. LAWSONOn a point of Order. May I draw your attention to the fact that this very serious statement is made in an important Government document, and we are asking questions in order to elicit information from the Minister about it.
§ Mr. SPEAKERI cannot attach any more importance to this particular question than to any other. All these supplementary questions take up far too much time.