Mr. MACLEANasked the Minister of Labour (1) whether he is aware that men who are working short time are being denied an extended period of State unemployment benefit; whether the officials of the Employment Exchanges are acting upon instructions from the Ministry of Labour; whether he can state the reasons for this action;
(2) whether he is aware that Employment Exchanges are intimating to single men who are living at home with their parents that they are not entitled to the extended allotment of State unemployment benefit; whether the Employment Exchange officials are acting upon the instructions of the Minister of Labour; and, if so, whether he can state the reasons that have led to the issue of such instructions?
§ Dr. MACNAMARAFor reasons which I have explained to the House, the conditions laid down by me for the six weeks' extension of benefit—that is to say, uncovenanted or free benefit—limit the grant of this benefit in the case of short-time workers and single men and women, amongst other classes. I am sending my hon. Friend a copy of the further instructions issued last Saturday with regard to boys and girls and to single men and women. In the case of short-time workers, the local employment committees are asked to pay careful regard to the average weekly earnings, and not, as a rule, to recommend the extension of benefit to short-time workers who are earning on the average half or more than half the normal earnings for a full week.