§ Mr. WHITELEYasked the Minister of Labour whether he is aware that recipients of unemployment benefit are being requested to appear before the local Exchange officials to answer a list of questions the day prior to appearing before the rota committee to answer the same questions; and whether, seeing that this is a new procedure, he will state what is the object of it?
§ Mr. BETTERTONIt has always been the practice for persons making claims to extended benefit to be interviewed by officers of the Employment Exchange in order that the necessary information may be obtained and that the form of application may be properly completed. Arrangements have recently been made for obtaining more complete information at these interviews. The object is partly to dispense with an interview by the committee in cases which can be allowed immediately and partly to record full information for the committee in the remaining cases, in which alone a second interview will normally be required.