§ Mr. R. YOUNGasked the Minister of Labour if he will explain the grounds on which unemployed men in the Accrington district are being compelled to put in a second waiting period, contrary to the provision of the Act, before unemployment benefit is paid to them; and whether this is consequent upon the withdrawal of the Government unemployment donation making necessary a new waiting period for the ordinary unemployment benefit?
§ Sir R. HORNEI understand that certain workmen at Accrington have, for some time, been working three days a week and standing off work for the other three days, and that they have been in receipt of donation in respect of the days on which they were standing off. On the stoppage of donation, they claimed un- employment benefit; but, in view of the fact that they had not been continuously unemployed for six days within the meaning of the statutory rule, they were required to complete this number of waiting days before becoming entitled to un-1078W employment benefit. This procedure was necessitated by the statutory requirements, which I have no power to alter.