asked the Minister of Labour whether he is aware that hardship committees have not interpreted the term hardship to cover appeals on humane grounds, such as would cover cases of widows with one son of military age; and whether he will take all steps necessary to make such appeals possible?

The regulations defining "exceptional hardship" specifically provide that regard should be had to the circumstances in which members of the applicant's household or his dependants will be placed. I am not aware that hardship committees generally have interpreted the regulations as excluding applications based on grounds such as those mentioned by the hon. Member, but steps are being taken to bring appeals before the umpire so that he may give authoritative decisions in various types of cases for the guidance of committees.

May I take it that it is possible now to procure exemption on purely humane grounds, and if I submit cases where such exemptions have been refused on the ground that the committee cannot grant it, will the right hon. Gentleman look into the matter?

I shall be glad to do that. I may inform the House that the representative of the Ministry of Labour put the view in a recent appeal to the Umpire that "hardship" was not limited to financial hardship.