HC Deb 19 November 1936 vol 317 cc1886-7
3. Mr. STOREY

asked the Minister of Labour whether the Unemployment Assistance Board has considered the position of an applicant for an allowance who is permanently separated from his wife but wholly or mainly maintaining her; and, if so, whether they have decided to exercise their discretion in favour of such applicants?

Lieut.-Colonel MUIRHEAD

The board have no power under the Act to include in a determination the needs of a person who is not a member of the applicant's household, but I am informed that in cases where immediately prior to his application for allowance the applicant has been in receipt of Unemployment benefit which included dependant's benefit for a separated wife, the board propose suitably to adjust the allowance so as to enable the applicant to continue the remittance to his wife. This practice will, of course, be subject to variation in the light of the special features of an individual case and is dependent on the applicant continuing to put the addition to his allowance to its intended purpose.

7. Mr. GALLACHER

asked the Minister of Labour whether he will consider the anomaly whereby Unemployment Assistance Boards ignore all payments received in consideration of Territorial service yet take into consideration the payments made to men of the Army Reserve, and take steps to remove it?

Lieut.-Colonel MUIRHEAD

I am aware that there are differences in the treatment of these payments, but the board informs me that while in practice it allows in full the sums received by way of Territorial Forces proficiency grants, it cannot take the same view of the substantially greater amounts of Army Reserve pay in so far as these are received by applicants themselves as distinct from members of applicants' households.

Mr. GALLACHER

Is not the Parliamentary Secretary aware that while the pay of the Army Reservists may be relatively greater compared with the Territorial Army, it is actually a very small amount and should be excluded from consideration?

Mr. MACQUISTEN

What is the use of talking about not being able to get recruits if they do a mean thing like this?