15 FEBRUARY 1935, Page 3

The Week in Parliament Our Parliamentary correspondent writes : The

Opposi- tion thoroughly enjoyed themselves on Tuesday when the Bill to suspend the Unemployment Regulations was given a second reading. Government supporters sat in uneasy silence while one Labour spokesman after another exulted in the party capital they were making in the country out of the humiliations of Mr. Stanley. From a purely party point of view Sir Stafford Cripps was the most effective as in the best manner of the cross-examining" silk" he put a series of devastating questions -to the unfortunate Minister of Labour. But the most impressive contribution came from Mr. Buchanan. Though the Prime Minister was present this time he did not indulge in any personal abuse, but concentrated on the Means Test. " Is it worth it ? he asked, and went on to give some moving instances of the intolerable hardships that it created and the lowering of moral standards that was the result. He quoted one of the Sheriffs of Glasgow as saying that "it was most appalling to see the terrible increase in the number of men who came before him who were not criminals but were guilty of telling lies about this matter." The speech was listened to with obvious sympathy.