§ Mr. MARCHasked the Minister of Labour whether, in all cases where the wives or children of men in receipt of unemployment benefit are chargeable to the Poor Law authority in rate-aided institutions or in receipt of outdoor relief where the husband is living apart from the wife or has not the care of the children, the money due from the Employment Exchange for the maintenance of the said wives or children may be paid to the Poor Law authority direct, the onus of notification to be placed on the man receiving benefit?
§ Sir A. STEEL-MAITLANDThe additional rates of benefit in respect of a wife and children are only payable where the wife lives with or is maintained by the husband and the children are dependent on him. In the case given in the question no such benefit is payable at all, so that the question of paying it to the Poor Law authority does not arise. The position could not be altered without legislation, which I shall be prepared to consider at the proper time, but I should mention that at present I am not at all satisfied that this is a charge which should be placed on the Unemployment Fund.