This provision is perhaps an approach to the familiar policy
of the Labour and Liberal parties for making the Treasury responsible for the support of all the able-bodied poor. For our part we dislike an expedient which must lessen rather than increase adequate local and .personal inquiry. The new Local Government Act provides a far better machinery than existed before for such inquiry, yet it is in this instance being set aside. The Bill repeals the Statutory condition that claimants for unemploy- ment benefit must prove that they are genuinely seeking work, but have been unable to obtain it. The whole onus of proof will not, however, be transferied fo the authorities, as -the tests which are proposed cannot be applied without the collaboration of the applicants. Evidently the customary accusations that there was " administrative persecution " of applicants for benefits have finally broken down. The Morris Committee dis- countenanced them, and the wording of Miss Bondfield's Bill is inconsistent with the belief that there was any persecution.
*
Previous page
