§ 1. Mr. GALLACHERasked the Minister of Labour whether he has considered the declaration widely signed by Members of Parliament, doctors, teachers, etc., and sent to him urging the abolition of the means test; and whether he is prepared to accede to this request?
§ The PARLIAMENTARY SECRETARY to the MINISTRY of LABOUR (Lieut.-Colonel Muirhead)The reply to the first part of the question is "Yes, Sir," and to the second is "No, Sir."
§ Mr. GALLACHERIs the Department not prepared to take into account the unnecessary suffering already imposed as a consequence of the means test, and end this crime against the masses of the people in this country?
§ Mr. MAXTONAre we to take it from the Minister's very categorical reply that the Regulations are now in their final form?
§ 8. Mr. GEORGE GRIFFITHS(for Mr. LUNN) asked the Minister of Labour if he will make inquiries as to 1348 whether any form of means test is being applied at Employment Exchanges in Yorkshire to recipients of statutory unemployment benefit; and will he inform the House at what exchanges these questions into household means have been asked and applied?
§ 3. Mr. LEEasked the Minister of Labour whether he is aware that resentment is felt owing to the fact that officials at the Employment Exchanges in the Ripley and Alfreton districts in Derbyshire, when new applications for statutory benefit are being made, put questions to married men with dependants regarding the amount they allow their wives for household expenses and how much they keep for themselves and afterwards spend on drink and tobacco, etc.; has any new regulation been issued to justify any such questions; and will he put a stop to such practices?
§ Lieut.-Colonel MUIRHEADNo form of means test is applied to claimants for unemployment benefit. If, however, there is a claim for dependants' benefit, the claimant is in certain circumstances required by the Unemployment Insurance Act to show that the dependant is wholly or mainly maintained by him. To enable him to do this, certain questions are put to him about the amounts contributed by himself and other members of his family to the support of the dependants.
§ Mr. GRIFFITHSDoes the Minister not know that, as far as a great crowd of Yorkshire miners who are working part-time are concerned, when they approach the end of their 156 statutory pay days the officers are making inquiries as to their income and everything else, before there is any application whatever for public assistance?
§ Lieut.-Colonel MUIRHEADThis is a question connected with benefit.