§ 11. Mr. James Griffithsasked the Minister of Labour the number of recipients of unemployment allowance who have not received any increase in their allowances to meet the increased cost of living owing to the operation of the wage-stop; and whether the Unemployment Assistance Board proposes to review the existing wage-stops in those cases?
§ Mr. E. BrownI regret that the information asked for in the first part of the Question is not available. As regards the second part I would refer the hon. Member to the reply given to the hon. Members for Pontypool (Mr. A. Jenkins) 1502 and Rhondda East (Mr. Mainwaring) on 25th January.
§ Mr. GriffithsMay I ask whether the Unemployment Assistance Board reports at any stage? Otherwise the cost of living can increase and these men get no increase in wages.
§ Mr. BrownAs far as I know there is no decision dealing with a general review, but in the answer to which I have referred, I pointed out that officers have been reminded by the board that under the new Regulations regard must be had to any special circumstances or needs of an exceptional character.
§ Mr. A. JenkinsMay I ask whether a general instruction has been issued to officers of the board to grant increases in these cases of wage-stops?
§ Mr. BrownThey have been reminded and I would also point out that in a number of cases where need has existed allowances in excess of the wage-stop have been granted.