§ Sir JOHN LONSDALEasked the President of the Board of Trade if he is aware that the perforation of unemployment, stamps by employers as a protection against fraud has been prohibited; is he aware that this practice is permitted by the Post Office, and that the permission to print the initials of employers on the gummed backs of unemployment stamps does not afford sufficient protection; and if he will state why perforation of the stamps is not permitted?
Mr. ROBERTSONThe perforation of unemployment stamps by employers is not allowed, because, if it were permitted, it would be possible to discover the identity of the workman's previous employers by examination of the unemployment book, to which perforated stamps had been affixed. There is, however, no objection to the printing of the employer's initials 2819W on the gummed backs of the unemployment stamps, provided that they are printed faintly. I am not aware that this system does not afford sufficient protection.