§ 2. Mr. Mackasked the Minister of Labour what is the number of wholly unemployed persons signing the live register at employment exchanges who are con- 1448 sidered unemployable by reason of slight disability; whether he will take steps to have such persons medically examined and, if then found employable, excuse them attending exchanges more than once per week.
§ Mr. BevinNo special statistics are kept of unemployed persons with slight disabilities. Such persons are not regarded as unemployable and they can usually be placed in suitable employment without medical examination. In view of the shortage of man-power, it is important that anyone who is capable of taking work should be available for early submission to any suitable vacancy and my hon. Friend will appreciate that there would be risk of delay in placing persons with slight disabilities if they were required to attend at their Employment Exchange on only one day a week.
§ Mr. MackWould the Minister not agree that they ought not to attend more frequently than once a week even if the disability is only of a slight character?
§ Mr. BevinNo, I cannot agree with that because if the man with a slight disability attends only once a week, he may miss being submitted for a job. I think that attendance twice a week by a man who is not employed is not unreasonable.