§ Mr. BILLINGasked the Minister of Labour whether his attention has been called to the methods adopted by the various Labour Exchanges in connection with the payment of the unemployment allowance to women and girls discharged from munition centres; whether he is aware that in the event of women and girls refusing the first employment offered, no matter how unsuitable either mentally or physically they may be for the post suggested, their employment allowance is stopped without further notice; and what action he proposes to take to ensure to the persons so affected a just hearing of their case?
§ Mr. WARDLEI am not aware that there is any foundation for the suggestion that the women and girls referred to are unfairly treated. The payment of donation is not suspended unless they refuse an offer of employment which isprima facie suitable, having regard to all the circumstances, and every case in which donation is suspended is at once referred to a local Court of Referees, which in cases where women applicants are concerned usually contains a woman member. Notice of the hearing before the Court of Referees is given to the applicant, who is entitled to attend, and, if desired, assistance is given to her at the Employment Exchange in order to enable her to prepare her case for the Court.
§ Sir J. BUTCHERasked the Minister of Labour whether he can state the date when the new scheme of out-of-work donations in Ireland announced on the 17th instant will come into operation; and whether on that date the out-of-work donations now being paid to persons outside the classes comprised in the new scheme will cease?
§ Mr. WARDLEIt is proposed to bring the new scheme into operation as from the 6th March. From that date the payment of donation to persons not comprised within the new scheme will cease, but, as stated in reply to my hon. and learned Friend on 17th February and in the Attorney-General for Ireland's reply on 1201W 17th February, a Grant is to be made for works of a reconstruction character in order to provide employment in Ireland.
§ Sir J. BUTCHERasked the Minister of Labour what step she proposes to take in order to ascertain in what cases out-of-work donations were improperly granted in Ireland and to terminate such donations immediately, and to obtain a return of the money improperly paid in respect of such donations?
§ Mr. WARDLEThe staff of inspectors in Ireland has been specially strengthened, and in any case in which it is found that claims to donation were improperly made, a prosecution or proceedings for the recovery of the money improperly paid will be instituted.
§ Sir J. BUTCHERasked the Minister of Labour whether he will state the number of men, women, boys and girls, respectively, in the receipt of out-of-work donations in the United Kingdom during each of the last six weeks?
§ Mr. WARDLEThe total number of policies lodged for payment during each of the last six weeks was as follows:
NUMBER OF POLICIES LODGED. Date. Men. Women. Boys. Girls. Total. 3rd January … 126,328 225,005 16,988 13,374 380,695 10th January … 150,858 263,567 16,462 16,365 448,252 17th January … 179,673 303,944 18,131 18,018 519,608 24th January … 203,880 343,918 20,543 22,259 596,894 31st January … 230,677 400,008 22,562 25,362 678,703 7th February … 234,848 428,114 24,828 26,790 734,090 Normally the number of policies lodged is somewhat in excess of the number of payments made, as at the date of payment there are a number of policies lodged on which no payment is due.
§ Colonel YATEasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Labour what has been the result of his inquiries into the question of safeguards against the improper grant of out-of-work donations, especially in Ireland; and what steps he has taken to put a stop to paid idleness wherever it may occur?
§ Mr. WARDLEAs regards the application of the out-of-work donation scheme to Ireland, I would refer to the reply given to the hon. and learned Member for York on the 17th February. The administration of the scheme generally is being care-1202W fully watched, and if the hon. and gallant Member will supply me with any instances of improper grant of donation, I will have inquiry made.