§ Mr. R. Gibsonasked the Minister of Labour whether he is aware that persons in the Greenock area in receipt of allowances from the Unemployment Assistance Board and being under the necessity of applying for additional assistance in cases of sickness are required to produce a doctor's certificate which, if unobtainable from the public assistance committee, necessitates an expenditure of about 3s.; and whether he will take steps to ensure that in such cases the cost of the medical certificate will be borne by the Public Assistance Board and not by the applicant?
600W
§ Mr. Lennox-BoydThe position in regard to medical certificates was explained in the answer given by my right hon. Friend to the hon. Member for Whitehaven (Mr. F. Anderson) on 11th November, 1937. I am sending the hon. and learned Member a copy.
§ Mr. R. Gibsonasked the Minister of Labour what was the total number of unemployed in the Greenock area at the last available date; and how many of these had been unemployed for three months, six months, nine months, one year, two years, three years, and over three years, respectively?
§ Mr. Lennox-BoydAt 16th January, 1939, there were 6,750 unemployed persons aged 14 and over on the registers of the Greenock Employment Exchange, including 6,261 applicants for benefit or unemployment allowances.
An analysis of these applicants according to the length of the current spell of unemployment is given below:
Less than 3 months 2,603 3 months but less than 6 months 1,074 6 months but less than 9 months 481 9 months but less than 12 months 279 1 year but less than 2 years 716 2 years but less than 3 years 393 3 years or more 710 Of the persons who had been on the register for extended periods a proportion will have had one or more short spells of employment, lasting not more than three days each, during such periods.
Corresponding particulars are not available in respect of unemployed persons who are not applicants for benefit or allowances.