§ 77. Mr. Shinwellasked the Minister of Labour whether the assurance given by the War Office that Army reservists, when unemployed, should not have their reserve pay deducted from their unemployment allowance, is now being given effect to by the Unemployment Board?
§ Sir J. BlindellI have been asked to reply. The arrangement which is being followed—in accordance with undertakings which have been given—is that, if the reservist is not himself an applicant for an allowance, no part of his reserve pay is regarded as available to meet the needs of any other member of the household who is applying for an allowance. If the reservist himself is applying for an allowance, 50 per cent, of his reserve pay is regarded as a resource available for meeting the needs of the household.
§ Mr. ShinwellWill the hon. Gentleman be good enough to make representations to the Secretary of State for War in order to clear up the difficulty that appears to have arisen out of the statement made by the Financial Secretary to the War Office in a previous Debate?
§ Sir J. BlindellI shall be pleased to pass on that suggestion to my right hon. Friend the Minister of Labour.