§ 25. Mr. Tinkerasked the Minister of Labour whether he is aware that the unemployed are asking for an increase in the weekly payments of benefit to meet 1091 the increased cost of living; that Leigh Town Council have passed a resolution asking him to consider this; and what action he intends to adopt in this matter?
§ Mr. E. BrownThe question of any increase in the rates of benefit is a matter for the Statutory Committee to report upon, as I have stated on several occasions recently. The resolution referred to in the second part of the question endorses the memorandum prepared by the Trades Union Congress which the Council submitted to me, and to which I sent a reply, which was published last week. As regards the third part, I would refer the hon. Member to my reply to the hon. Members for Doncaster (Mr. Short) and Llanelly (Mr. J. Griffiths) on 21st October and to the hon. Member for Don Valley (Mr. T. Williams) on 28th October.
§ Mr. TinkerYes, but those reliefs are indefinite. May we have some idea when the report will be submitted?