Mr. Guestasked the Minister of Labour whether he will state the number of cases in which the Unemployment Assistance Board has within the last year made special grants to meet recognised clothing needs of an exceptional character arising out of prolonged unemployment?
§ Mr. E. BrownDuring the 12 months ended 31st May last, there were approximately 14,700 cases in which, owing to exceptional circumstances, special payments were made to enable applicants to make immediate purchases of clothing. As my hon. Friend is no doubt aware, normal replacements of clothing are among the needs which the Board's ordinary allowances are intended to cover and some of the special payments referred to were made not primarily on account of prolonged unemployment but on account of some domestic misfortune such as fire.