§ 5. Mr. Chapmanasked the Minister of Labour whether he is aware that hundreds of men who are working short time in the motor car and allied industries are having to queue for two hours and more each week at the Selly Oak Employment Exchange; and whether he will open an emergency office in Longbridge or employ extra staff in order to reduce this waiting.
§ Mr. Iain MacleodThe staff of the Selly Oak Employment Exchange has been substantially increased, overtime is being worked and special premises have been opened. I regret that, nevertheless, there were delays on two days last month which, in a few cases, amounted to as much as two hours. These were due to the attendance of an unexpectedly large number of applicants, including some who had come well in advance of their scheduled times. I am doing my best to reduce delays to a minimum, and I am opening special premises to deal with the further increase in unemployment in the Longbridge area.
§ Mr. ChapmanReferring to the short-time workers for a start, may I ask whether the Minister is aware that they were waiting for two hours yesterday afternoon—let alone last week—after all he is supposed to be doing? Is he further aware that the emergency premises which he has opened for them are on the city boundary, costing the men at least 1s. 6d. to go in buses to sign on, creating an absolutely stupid situation? Further, is it the case that the money for these short-time workers is already two months in arrears in calculation? What is the Minister doing about that?
§ Mr. MacleodI should very much like to look into the matters which the hon. Gentleman raises but which I am afraid, just like that, I do not accept. On the question of the special premises, I do not think that those to which I referred are the same ones as those referred to by the hon. Gentleman, because the premises I have in mind are at Longbridge and are being opened tomorrow or the next day.
§ Mr. ChapmanThey are the same.
§ Mr. MacleodNo, they are different ones.