§ 13. Mr. MATHERSasked the Minister of labour whether he is aware of the hardship involved to persons attending at Linlithgow employment office during inclement weather owing to the accommodation being so limited that many of those attending, especially on pay days, are compelled to stand out on the main street; and whether he will take immediate steps to remedy this state of affairs?
§ Mr. E. BROWNI have had special inquiry made with regard to this office, in consequence of a letter which the hon. Member was good enough to send to me. My information is that although the accommodation is somewhat restricted, there is no need for claimants to wait in the open if they adhere to the times allotted for their attendance, but that some of them continue to congregate outside the office before and after their times of attendance in spite of efforts to discourage this practice. The position is being kept under direct review.
§ Mr. MATHERSDoes that mean that the right hon. Gentleman will say something more about this question, and will he be communicating with me or be giving me an opportunity of putting another question on the Paper; and may I also put the point that he might take into consideration the fact that, unfortunately, there may be in the near future an increase in the number of unemployed in Linlithgow, owing to the closing down of the explosives factory in that town?