§ Mr. RENDALLasked the Minister of Labour on what grounds and under what powers he has issued Order U.I.A. 50c instructing local Employment Committees that grants shall not be made to single men and women who live with adult 1379W relatives who are in employment for half time or more; and, seeing that the wages of one person on half time are not sufficient to maintain one, two, or three adults, in addition to a wife and small children, will he reconsider this Order?
§ Sir M. BARLOWUncovenanted benefit, which alone is here in question, can only be granted if the Minister of Labour is satisfied that the grant is expedient in the public interest. The Minister has accordingly directed that uncovenanted benefit is not to be paid to single men or women who are maintained wholly or mainly by their relatives. For the guidance of local Employment Committees he has issued a further instruction, of which I am sending a copy to my hon. Friend, indicating that this disqualification does not apply if the parents or other relatives do not earn sufficient, having regard to their other responsibilities, to enable them to undertake the support of the applicant. These instructions do not affect the right to covenanted benefit.