§ Mr. T. SMITHasked the Minister of Labour whether he can state the number of applications for unemployment insurance benefit dealt with by the court of referees at Castleford and Pontefract, respectively, during 1935; the number allowed and disallowed; and the number disallowed on the ground that they were engaged in a trade dispute?
§ Mr. E. BROWN,pursuant to his reply (OFFICIAL REPORT, 27th February, 1936; col. 624, Vol. 309) supplied the following statement:
The number of claims for insurance benefit or unemployment allowances considered by the Castleford Court of Referees during 1935 was 1,023, of which 183 were allowed and 840 were disallowed. The corresponding figures for the Ponte-fract Court of Referees were 584, 179 and 405, respectively. These figures are exclusive of claims, by persons already en titled to benefit, for an increase in the rate of benefit in respect of dependants. There were no claims disallowed under the trade dispute disqualification during 1935 by these courts of referees. Claims are referred to the Castleford Court of Referees from the Castleford and Nor-manton Employment Exchanges, and to the Pontefract Court of Referees from the Pontefract and Knottingley Employment Exchanges.