asked the Minister of Labour the number of persons registered at the Stratford and Canning Town Employment Exchanges, and the number of persons who have been refused unemployment benefit during the previous six months in consequence of not having paid 30 contributions within the period of two years?

At 11th March there were 4,273 persons on the registers of the Stratford Employment Exchange and 8,698 at Canning Town. At present, the rule requiring the payment of 30 contributions during the previous two years as a condition for the receipt of unemployment benefit applies only in the case of juveniles under 18. During the six months ended 11th February, 1929, 36 claims made at Canning Town were disallowed under this rule. There were no disallowances on this ground at Stratford.

Will those cases which have been deprived of benefit by reason of the absence of the 30 contributions be reconsidered, in view of the Bill which is being discussed to-day?

No, it is a totally different point and does not arise at all.

asked the Minister of Labour the number of appeals which have emanated from the Stratford and Canning Town Employment Exchanges and have been brought before the court of referees for the 12 months ending at the last convenient date; and in how many cases appeals have been heard by two persons or more?

I regret that statistics giving the information desired are not available.

asked the Minister of Labour the number of claims for unemployment benefit made by men, women, and young persons, respectively, at the Stratford and Canning Town Employment Exchanges for the months of October, November, and December, 1928, and for January and February, 1929, giving the figures for each month, together with the claims rejected in each case?

I am having these figures tabulated and will send them to the hon. Member.