Captain TERRELLasked the Minister of Labour whether he will institute an inquiry into the abuse of the unemployment pay by women and girls, who, accustomed to domestic service, now refuse to re-enter it; whether he can state the weekly sum paid to unemployed women; whether there is still a serious shortage of servants; and what steps he is taking to reduce the public outlay in this respect?
§ Sir M. BARLOWThe matter to which my hon. and gallant Friend refers is occupying our continuous attention. £130,000 is estimated to have been paid to unemployed women in the week ended 1579W 22nd April; but private domestic servants as such are not insurable under the Act, and the women who received the above benefit are therefore those normally engaged in other occupations. Any claims for benefit by women normally engaged in private domestic service would be disallowed. There are many vacancies for properly trained resident domestic Servants, and the local employment committees are doing all in their power to ensure that benefit is not paid to any woman for whom domestic service can be regarded as suitable employment.