§ 42. Mr. Wootton-Daviesasked the Minister of Labour whether, when cases affecting the activities of the Unemployment Assistance Board are referred by Members to his Department, he can state the exact procedure followed in making inquiries; and whether he will consider short-circuiting much of the letter-writing entailed so as to relieve the pressure on the staff?
§ The Joint Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Labour (Mr. Tomlinson)My right hon. Friend has already taken steps to reduce the amount of correspondence involved in dealing with such inquiries by arranging that, unless an inquiry raises a point of special importance, the reply is to be sent direct by the Board to the Member concerned. In dealing with inquiries regarding individual cases the Board must of course obtain the necessary information from their local officers but every effort is made to reduce such correspondence to the minimum.
§ Mr. Wootton-DaviesCannot my hon. Friend make arrangements to send these inquiries direct from London to the area concerned, rather than through half a dozen offices where copies have to be made each time?
§ Mr. TomlinsonI am not aware that inquiries are sent through any more channels than are absolutely necessary.
§ Mr. Wootton-DaviesPerhaps I may send my hon. Friend some details.