§ Mr. LAWSONasked the Minister of Labour whether an applicant appearing before an appeal tribunal under Part II of the 1934 Unemployment Insurance Act is given the same rights as the representative of the Unemployment Assistance Board; and whether he will consider that, after the case is stated and while the matter is being considered by the tribunal, the representatives of the Board should withdraw from the room as well as the applicant?
Mr. STANLEYI assume that the reference is to the officer of the Board who attends at an oral hearing of a case by a tribunal. Under Rule 8 (2) of the Appeal Tribunals Rules, 1935, the position of this officer in regard to the tribunal is precisely the same as that of the applicant. As regards the second part of the question, this is a matter within the discretion of the chairman of the tribunal in any particular case, but the Board would not expect that the officer referred to would be asked to be present during any proceedings from which the applicant concerned is excluded.