§ 10. Mr. Kirbyasked the Minister of Labour whether he is aware that, owing to the Unemployment Assistance Board taking over the care of the able-bodied unemployed, the Liverpool Public Assistance Committee find themselves with 170 redundant men on their staff whom it is proposed to dismiss; whether the Unemployment Assistance Board promised to take over such staff; and what steps he proposes to take when staffing Unemployment Assistance Board offices to ensure that redundant public assistance committees' staffs shall be absorbed into the new scheme?
§ Mr. E. BrownI am informed by the Unemployment Assistance Board that they have been given to understand that their assumption of responsibility for additional numbers of able-bodied unemployed transferred to them as from 1st April, 1937, will give rise to a redundancy in the temporary staff of the Liverpool public assistance committee approximating to that stated by the hon. Member. No promise has at any time been given that the Unemployment Assistance Board would take over this staff. During the passage of the Unemployment Bill in this House an undertaking was given that priority of consideration for employment on the Board's staff would be given to persons who were employed by local authorities on 25th April, 1934, on work transferred to the Board. All members of the Liverpool public assistance committee staff covered by the terms of that undertaking who made application and were suitably qualified have been offered appointment under the Board. The remainder who are not within the terms of the undertaking have been advised to register with their local employment exchanges, when they will be considered as and when possible for any further vacancies that may arise.