§ Mr. CONNOLLYasked the Minister of Labour by what authority special visiting 784W committees to provincial Employment Exchanges are set up which are exercising what amounts to a right of veto on the decisions of rota committees and sub-committees arrived at in conformity with the Acts?
§ Mr. BETTERTONWhile the vast majority of the recommendations made by local committees are accepted, the final decision on extended benefit claims rests with the Minister. It has long been the practice to make investigations periodically into the recommendations made locally, and that made last summer was the ninth of the series. This is one of the means adopted for discharging the responsibility imposed upon the Minister by the Unemployment Insurance Acts.
§ Mr. FORRESTasked the Minister of Labour in how many cases since the Un- 785W employment Insurance Act, 1925, came into force, he has considered it expedient, in the public interest, to authorise applicants to receive benefits under Subsection (3) of Section 1 of the Unemployment Insurance (No. 2) Act, 1924?
§ Mr. BETTERTONThe number of claims to extended benefit considered and granted during the first seven weeks of the operation of the Unemployment Insurance Act, 1925, was 379,219.
Description. Total estimated cost. Date of approval. £ Drainage of St. Peter's Churchyard … 332 30th June, 1925. Paving 10 side streets with reinforced concrete … 14,500 2nd September, 1925 Information on the last part of the question is not available.
Mr. T. THOMSONasked the Minister of Labour the total amount of employment provided by the various schemes of relief and other works towards which the Government are making grants; and the corresponding figure for a year ago?
§ Mr. BETTERTONAccording to returns received, the number of men directly employed on the 31st October on schemes of relief work undertaken with Government assistance is provisionally calculated as 95,373. The corresponding figure for the 25th October, 1924, was 91,351. These figures take no account of the employment provided indirectly,e.g., in the preparation and transport of materials, etc.
Mr. THOMSONasked the Minister of Labour how many persons are now employed as a result of schemes for the relief of unemployment which have been set on foot since 1st November, 1924?
§ Mr. BETTERTONThe particulars asked for are not available. The only figures which can be given are those which have been furnished to-day in reply to another question by the hon. Member.