§ Mr. Cluseasked the Minister of Labour whether he is aware that the Islington Borough Council have been informed that unemployed men who had been given work digging trenches in the open spaces of the borough during the recent emergency, on ceasing work and being again unemployed, suffered considerable reductions in their unemployment assistance allowances or unemployment insurance benefit; and that consequently a number of the men were very little in pocket, whilst owing to the extra demands made on them in performing work of such a strenuous nature, some may have suffered actual loss; and whether he intends to take any steps to remedy this grievance?
§ Mr. E. BrownUnemployment benefit is not payable in respect of days on which claimants are employed. As regards unemployment assistance, the Board informs me that the earnings of the men referred to were taken into account in accordance with the Regulations under which a certain proportion of the earnings were allowed for the personal requirements of the wage earner. The Board's officers also gave consideration to any case in which the applicant represented that the normal allowance for personal requirements was inadequate having regard to the special circumstances of his case, and where it was justifiable to do so increased the allowance by an exercise of discretion.