asked the Minister of Labour whether he will inquire into the growing practice among Unemployment Assistance Board officers of making deductions on account of the wages of sons and daughters who have left home and can no longer be considered as members of the household within the meaning of the Act; and whether he will draw the attention of all such officers to the undesirability of this practice?

Cases of this type are exceptional, and the Board inform me that they have no evidence that their number is increasing. As the hon. Member is aware, it is open to an aggrieved applicant to exercise his right of appeal under the Act if in any instance the facts on which the officer has proceeded are in doubt or dispute.

Is the right hon. Gentleman not aware that this practice is going on, that young men and young women who are living quite a distance away from home and who have to maintain themselves are being pursued by officials and being forced to take on a responsibility which should not be theirs?

These are quite exceptional cases and are such as happen occasionally under the ordinary Poor Law.

Is it the practice to take into calculation moneys earned by sons and daughters?

These are cases, which have have been debated in the House, where there is ground for believing that there is collusive action.

By what right under the law does this practice continue?

It is a legal practice. [HON. MEMBERS: "NO."] Then there is a difference of opinion. I am asked for my view, and I am giving it. It is a legal practice, and, as a matter of fact, though very exceptional, such cases happen under the ordinary Poor Law.

rose——

We cannot have a Debate on this question.

On a point of Order. This touches a very important point in the administration of unemployment allowances. May I ask whether it is not permissible to ask the Minister under what Section of the Act the Government representatives are acting in this matter?

If the hon. Member will put that question down, I shall be glad to answer it.

rose——

If we treat every question in this manner, we shall have to consider some other method of dealing with Questions.

I beg to give notice that, in view of the unsatisfactory nature of the Minister's answer, I will raise this question on the Motion for the Adjournment.

asked the Minister of Labour the number of applications for assistance received by the Unemployment Assistance Board at Blaenavon, Pontypool and Pontnewydd from persons in receipt of unemployment benefit during the months of November, December and January last, and the number of applications granted?

In the board's administrative area of Pontypool, which includes Blaenavon and Pontnewydd, the number of applications for unemployment allowances in supplementation of payments of unemployment benefit during the months of November, December and January last was 114, in 86 of which an allowance was authorised.

asked the Minister of Labour the number of applications for additional assistance made at Blaenavon, Pontypool, and Pontnewydd under the Circular issued by the Unemployment Assistance Board, and the number of applications granted?

I assume that the hon. Member refers to the Circular regarding special consideration in view of the rise in price of some commodities and the coming of the winter months. In the Board's administrative area of Pontypool which includes Blaenavon and Pontnewydd, there were on 17th January, 2,354 additions to current assessments on account of the special circumstances dealt with in the Board's Circular. This figure excludes cases in which the assessment already contained an equal or greater addition under the stand-still arrangements. As regards applications, I would refer the hon. Member to the reply which I gave to the hon. Member for Llanelly (Mr. J. Griffiths) on 18th November last.

asked the Minister of Labour (1) whether he will inquire into the reason why assistance was refused by the Arbroath Unemployment Assistance Board to Robert Doyle, of 45, John Street, Arbroath, on 29th January, 1938, when the latter had returned from five days at sea as member of a fishing crew, but was unable to draw any wages owing to the non-success of the fishing; whether he is aware that the child of Robert Doyle was ill and receiving medical attention and that there was no food in the house; and that the applicant, a fully-insured fisherman, was compelled to go to the public assistance committee for immediate aid;

(2) whether he will inquire into the circumstances in which Archibald Smith, of 50, Marketgate, Arbroath, was refused assistance by the Arbroath Unemployment Assistance Board, on 29th January, 1938, when the latter had returned from five days at sea but had drawn no wages owing to the non-success of the fishing; whether he is aware that Mrs. Smith was within a few days of confinement, and that even on 31st January, 1938, assistance was refused again; and whether he will take steps to ensure that the emergency needs of fishermen are promptly attended to?

I am having inquiry made in each of these cases, and will communicate with the hon. Member as soon as possible.

In view of the very harsh treatment of the officials in the north of Scotland, will the right hon. Gentleman give his most careful attention to it?

I made inquiries at once.

asked the Minister of Labour whether the procedure adopted in the Rhondda area whereby, when claims for extra nourishment allowances are made, the invalids are requested to travel many miles for the purpose of being examined by the regional medical officer is to become general; why this change of procedure was decided upon; and whether there is any reason to be dissatisfied with the views expressed by the claimants' own medical advisers?

I am informed by the Board that the arrangements under which certain cases are referred to regional medical officers have been operative without alteration since 1935. The procedure is used in exceptional cases only and if the hon. Member will furnish particulars of any case in which he thinks hardship may have been caused, the Board will be prepared to make full inquiry into it.

Does the Minister intend the House to understand that the procedure referred to in the question has been in operation since 1935?

That is my information from the Board.

Will the right hon. Gentleman accept it from me that these are the first instances in the whole of the South Wales area?

I should doubt that, but if the hon. Member thinks that is so, I will make another inquiry and inform the House.

asked the Minister of Labour whether he is aware that two claimants for unemployment assistance at the Pontyclun area office having earned 25s. 11d. and 25s. 8d., respectively, upon intermittent work were granted allowances of 1d. and 4d., respectively; and will he inquire as to the reasons for these decisions?

I am having inquiry made and will communicate with the hon. Member as soon as possible.

asked the Minister of Labour whether he can now give any information in connection with a girl's bonus of 24s. paid to her by Messrs. Zan, Limited, of Wheelock, Sandbach, for good work in the past year, which led to her father's unemployment pay being reduced by 5s. a week for four weeks; whether he has received any information from the chief officer of the Unemployment Assistance Board at Crewe about the matter; whether the girls' bonus was assessed as part of the family income; and what he intends doing about the case?

It is the normal practice of the board to allow such a bonus in full for the personal requirements of the recipient. In the case cited the bonus was not immediately identified as such, with the result that it was included in the calculation of the average wages of the daughter. As soon as the attention of the area officer was drawn to the fact that the payment of 24s. was a bonus payment he reassessed the father's allowance and restored the deduction of 4s. which had been made. Only one payment took place under the reduced assessment, and the shortage of 4s. for that week, due to the inclusion of the bonus in the calculation of the daughter's average wages, was made up in the course of the following week.

Can the Minister say why the officer did not know about this regulation?

I suppose an error was made here.

asked the Minister of Labour whether he has now completed his investigations into the problem of providing work for the elderly unemployed; and whether he can indicate what steps he proposes to take to deal with the problem?

I completed two days ago my visits to the divisional areas of the Ministry. In the course of these visits a great number of figures and suggestions were brought to my notice, all of which will need to be carefully sifted and examined before I can be in a position to come to any conclusions.

In view of the fact that it is now over nine months since the right hon. Gentleman made the public statement on his visit to South Wales that plans will soon be put forward, how long have we to wait?

I started my tour of the nine Ministry divisions on 1st September.

Was the last place that the Minister visited Ipswich?

asked the Minister of Labour how many applications have been received for the certification of areas under Section 5 of the Special Areas Act, 1937; what areas have made such applications; how many site companies have already been formed or are in process of being formed; and whether he is satisfied that the provisions of the Act of 1937 can be of assistance to those areas?

A total of 36 applications, all of which are from local authorities in Lancashire or in the adjacent parts of neighbouring counties, have been made for the certification of areas under Section 5 of the Special Areas Act, 1937. One site company has been formed—under the aegis of the Lancashire Industrial Development Council. I have no information as to the formation of other site companies, but the matter is, I understand, under consideration in other areas. With regard to the last part of the question, I am confident that the provisions of this Section can be of assistance to areas in which there is sufficient local initiative to profit by the advantages which they offer.

Does the right hon. Gentleman regard the establishment of one site factory in 12 months as satisfactory progress under the scheme? Does it not indicate that the scheme is totally inadequate to deal with the problem?

It means that some local people are not busy enough.

asked the Minister of Labour the total number of registered unemployed in Scotland for the years ending January, 1935, and 1938, respectively?

The average numbers of unemployed persons on the registers of Employment Exchanges in Scotland for the years ended January, 1935, and January, 1938, were 330,341 and 243,217, respectively.

Can the Minister say what number or percentage of that decrease are now in employment and what number are on Poor Law relief?

This number covers all who are on Poor Law relief, with the exception of such workmen as are outside the Insurance Act—a small number; I believe about 3,000 over the whole country. Otherwise all those who receive Poor Law relief are covered.

The Minister has indicated a decrease. Can he give figures showing the number of men in that decrease who are actually now in employment?

Perhaps the hon. Member will be good enough to put that question on the Paper, and I will do my best to give him an answer.

asked the Minister of Labour the total amount paid in unemployment benefit for the whole of Scotland, excepting Leith, for the years ended January, 1935 and 1938, respectively?

The approximate amounts paid in unemployment benefit for the area specified in the question during the years ended January, 1935 and 1938 respectively, were £4,400,000 and £4,100,000, the latter including £79,000 for agricultural benefit. The figures exclude payments made through associations, for which a geographical analysis is not available.

If any Member of the House desires it, will the right hon. Gentleman issue a confidential report with regard to the part of Scotland that is carefully avoided in this question, on which the right hon. Gentleman is very well informed, and so are his constituents?

asked the Minister of Labour whether he is aware that the percentage of unemployment is increasing among the insured workers in County Durham; and what steps he is taking to deal with the situation?

The percentage rate of unemployment in County Durham increased between November and December, 1937, from 17.9 to 20.6, but fell to 19.4 at January, 1938, which was over three points below the rate at the corresponding date late year. As regards the second part of the question, I would remind the hon. Member of the advantages which the county derives from the Special Areas Acts, from the reopening of a Government factory in the area and from the preference given in placing Government contracts.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that there has been an increased percentage of unemployment in the administrative county and that the figures are alarming in the county boroughs; and what is he prepared to do to meet the situation?

The answer I have given does not bear out the hon. Member's use of the word "alarming."

Do not the unemployment figures in the County of Durham indicate that the steps already taken by the Government are inadequate, and does not the right hon. Gentleman appreciate the need for taking further steps?

The highest point was in January, 1933, when it was 41.2, and it is now 19.4. That is sufficient commentary.

asked the Minister of Labour the total amount paid to publicity agents and for advertising purposes for the trading estates established by the Ministry, separately for each estate and for each year to date?

No trading estates have been established by the Ministry of Labour. The Team Valley Estate and the Treforest Estate have been established by North Eastern Trading Estates, Limited, and South Wales and Monmouthshire Trading Estates, Limited, respectively. These companies are financed by means of loans provided from the Special Areas Fund under agreements between the companies and the Commissioner. The agreements cover the general basis of development and provide for payment of interest on the loans but do not extend to such details as the amount which may be spent on publicity. This is left to the discretion of the boards of directors of the companies.

Are we to understand that the Minister has no information about the amount spent in this connection?

I cannot add anything to the answer. If the hon. Member desires any information I am sure the company will be glad to let him have it.

Will the right hon. Gentleman make inquiries into the amount spent on publicity and consider whether that amount is satisfactory, having regard to the meagre results?

I should say, as far as I have observed, that the publicity has been extremely well done, and I should have thought that hon. Members in South Wales would have welcomed it.

What about results?

asked the Minister of Labour whether he is aware that considerable inequity is caused by the provision that agricultural workers who have exhausted their benefit rights in a particular benefit year are ineligible for benefit until 10 fresh contributions have been made; that this provision is leading to the anomaly that certain agricultural workers are unable to claim any benefit whatever in respect of as much as 38 good contributions; and what steps he is taking to remedy this grievance?

I am aware that in certain types of cases an anomalous position may arise owing to this rule and consideration is being given to the matter at this moment.

Is not the right hon. Gentleman willing to tell the House that, if this anomaly does exist whereby the agricultural worker is put under pains and penalties under his Act, he will find a remedy?

I have said that it is under consideration at this moment. I expect a recommendation in the report which is due in a fortnight.

Is the right hon. Gentleman depending on the Statutory Committee to make a recommendation?

I have asked the Committee to consider its implications. The structure of the Agricultural Fund is a difficult one, and we have tried to see how we can remedy the anomalies.

asked the Minister of Labour whether he will attempt to find a method whereby a worker's contributions in respect of general unemployment insurance and of agricultural unemployment insurance can be added together in such a manner as to render a contributor eligible for benefit under one scheme or the other in cases where he has not made sufficient contributions to either separate scheme to enable him to obtain benefit?

I am afraid that I cannot add to my reply on this subject last Thursday to the hon. Member for Barnard Castle (Mr. Sexton),

Will my right hon. Friend bear in mind that it is bad for insurance principles in general that a man can contribute as many as 48 good contributions without getting any benefit?

That is another point. I am not proposing to deal with the general question but to that referred to in the previous question.

asked the Minister of Labour whether he is aware of the complaints from South Wales that young workers transferred from the South Wales area are depressing the standards and wages of the ordinary working people of other areas; whether he has received any complaints from other areas; and whether his Department has any information as to the way in which the conditions of transferred labour compare with ordinary labour conditions?

No such complaints have been made to me, and I feel assured that they could not be made with any justification in fact. Under the Department's transference scheme, juveniles and others are assisted to transfer only to openings for which suitable workpeople are not available locally, and for which the wages offered are not lower than those normally paid in the district in the occupation concerned.

What kind of machinery has the Department for keeping in touch with these young people?

We have a most elaborate system.

asked the Minister of Labour what the prospects are for the formation of a site company in Carmarthenshire; and, in case of failure to form such a site company, what steps he proposes to take to deal with the serious unemployment in the Gwendraeth Valley?

The formation of site companies under Section 5 of the Special Areas (Amendment) Act, 1937, is a matter primarily for local initiative, and I have no information as to the prospects of such action in Carmarthenshire. I believe that the question of forming a site company to operate anywhere in Wales or Monmouthshire to which Section 5 of the Act might be applied is under consideration by the National Industrial Development Council for Wales and Monmouthshire.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that four men out of five are unemployed and has he no kind of plan for dealing with them?

The hon. Member did not ask me a general question; he asked me a particular one. I suggest that he gets into touch with the Development Council and see whether his area is being considered.

Is not the Minister of the opinion, having regard to the slow rate of progress in finding work, that the whole country should be sited as one site?

asked the Minister of Labour whether he is prepared, owing to the increased cost of living, to recommend additional benefit to the unemployed?

asked the Minister of Labour whether, in view of the surplus in the Unemployment Fund, he is now prepared to recommend an increase in unemployment benefit to meet the rise in the cost of living?

I must ask the hon. Members to await the forthcoming report of the Unemployment Insurance Statutory Committee which will show the amount, if any, of the disposable surplus in the Unemployment Fund and make recommendations with regard thereto.

Does the right hon. Gentleman appreciate that recipients of the Unemployment Assistance Board in special circumstances have increases to meet the cost of living? Will he recommend an increase for those receiving ordinary standard benefit?

I would ask the hon. Gentleman to await the report which will be produced at the end of the month.

asked the Minister of Labour whether he will make the necessary arrangements so that unemployment and Poor Law relief figures shall be issued simultaneously for the purpose of giving Members of the House and the general public a complete conspectus of the unemployment problem in the country?

I am advised by my right hon. Friend the Minister of Health that it is not practicable to compile Poor Law figures in respect of persons relieved on account of unemployment in time for publication with the unemployment figures for the same date. The statistics of unemployment compiled by my Department give a complete conspectus of the unemployment problem and include practically all able-bodied persons who are in receipt of Poor Law relief on account of unemployment. Consequently any assumption that the Poor Law figures must be added to the official unemployment figures for this purpose is erroneous.

asked the Minister of Labour whether he can make a statement on the age distribution of the wholly unemployed registered at Normanton, Castleford, and Pontefract, respectively, at the latest convenient date?

As the reply includes a table of figures, I will, if I may, circulate a statement in the OFFICIAL REPORT.

How many of the men out of work would be over 50 years of age?

The table sub-divides them into ages.

asked the Minister of Labour whether he has completed his scheme for making domestic service more attractive; whether he proposes to publish it for general information; how many applications were in 1937 made to the Employment Exchanges for maids of all sorts; and whether his scheme will embrace the consideration of how to make the Employment Exchanges more useful for the purpose?

I have noted for consideration certain proposals made in various quarters for the formulation of a scheme of this kind but have not as yet come to any conclusion as to whether such action would be a substantial contribution to the solution of the problem or to what extent it may be a matter for the Government rather than for private initiation. The number of vacancies for women and girls in private domestic service notified to the Employment Exchanges in 1937 was 124,863.

asked the Minister of Labour whether, in investigating the shortage of hotel and other domestic workers during the summer season, his Department has made allowance for the deterring effect of the present seasonal workers' regulations under the Unemployment Insurance Acts; and whether he has any information which would show what would be the effect on the supply of such labour of a mitigation or cancellation of those regulations?

I have no information which suggests that the Regulations referred to have had any effect in deterring persons from undertaking hotel and other domestic work during the summer season at holiday resorts.

Is my right hon. Friend not well aware of the shortage of workers in that industry in the summer season, and is it not obvious that it will always be difficult to get new entrants into an industry if it is not covered by unemployment insurance?

Will the right hon. Gentleman see to it that better wages and better conditions are provided?

asked the Home Secretary whether, when aliens are sentenced to deportation but no country will take them, the police compel them to report regularly so as to keep some measure of control over them; and, if so, how often these men have to report?

It is a general requirement of the Aliens Order that every alien who has been in the country for three months must register with the police and report every change of residence. An alien may also be required by order of the Secretary of State to report to the police at stated intervals. This power is exercised when it is deemed necessary, but its use is now usually confined to cases where it is desired to keep an alien under special supervision pending investigation of identity and nationality with a view to deportation.

In the case of aliens whose nationality is not positively proved, is it not possible to return them to the country whence they came to this country?

The trouble is that they have no country to which we can return them.

asked the Home Secretary whether, in order to prevent the smuggling into this country of aliens by the crews of foreign vessels, it is the practice of the police in the dockland areas in London and other parts to check the passports of all known aliens from time to time; and, if not, will he take steps to have this done?

To check the passports of persons who are known to be aliens would not assist in the discovery of individuals who enter the country surreptitiously and succeed for a time in concealing their foreign nationality. In addition to the careful steps taken at the ports to prevent such surreptitious entries, the police pursue active inquiries whenever there is ground for suspecting the bona fides of a person who represents himself to be a British subject.

Are we to understand from the right hon. Gentleman's reply that the higher ranks of Transatlantic criminals can get through?

No, Sir, certainly not.

asked the Home Secretary whether, in view of the practice of his Department not to permit the entrance into this country of aliens with known criminal records, he can state how it was that the man, James Hynes, sentenced to 12 years' penal servitude for the Park Lane jewel robbery came to be admitted into this country in April, 1928, when he had been convicted of serious crimes in the United States of America on 10 previous occasions?

Though this man has stated that he landed from the steamship "Olympic" in May, 1928, no record could be traced of his arrival and, despite inquiries, it could not be ascertained how he entered the country.