Mr. T. THOMSONasked the Minister of Labour whether he is aware of the great hardship involved in many instances by the gap of five weeks during which unemployed persons receive no benefit; and can he see his way to temporarily amend the present Act so as to enable continuous benefit to be paid in such cases?
§ Sir M. BARLOWI would refer my hon. and gallant Friend to the reply given on the 25th May, of which I am sending him a copy. The arrangements with regard to the five weeks' gap apply only to un-covenanted benefit and not to covenanted benefit. They are expressly laid down in an Act which was passed last April, and which as I would remind my hon. Friend, extended considerably the periods for which benefit is payable. In view of the limited resources of the Unemployment Fund it is impracticable to propose any further extension of benefit.