QUESTIONS IN HOUSE

Evening Post, Volume CXIV, Issue 97, 21 October 1932, Page 7

QUESTIONS IN HOUSE

SAVINGS BY MEANS" TEST

LABOUR AND RIOTS

(Eeceived 21st October, 1 p.m.) LONDON, 20th October. In the House of Commons the Minister oi Labour, Sir Henry Betterton, in reply to questions said that approximately £8,000,000 would bo saved'in the current year through the operation of the means test for the unemployed The Prime Minister, Mr. Mac Donald told a questioner that the Government did not propose to take advantage of the present low rate of. interest to raise a loan for a large-scale national development plan in the interest of the unemployed. On the motion for adjournment of the House of Commons, the Leader of the Opposition, Mr. G. Lansbmy, drew attention to the-unemployed disorders which-had occurred in London'and the provinces. He said that these had been yery widespread, due to 'he conditions laid down for treatment of the unem-ployed-by the late and the present Governments. The demonstrators had a right to advertise their condition, and the police should provide facilities for doing this peacefully. The means togt should he revoked. The Home Secretary, Sir John Gilmour, on behalf of the Government, said that Tuesday's demonstration in London had been organised by the Unemployed "Workers' Movement. This was mainly a Communist organisation whose campaign had been in progress since July, when it started, in Bristol. The police had discharged their duties under grea.t difficulty, facing ruthless brutality. After Sir Stafford Cripps and other Labour members had complained of the means test, the Prime Minister promised a statement of the Government's intentions .regarding the test. Meanwhile, ■he appealed to members not to find excuses for rioting or make it easy for those who were not" out to help the unemployed but to kick up a row. Mr. J. Maxton (Labour): You have no right to say that. Mr. Mac Donald: Nobody knows better than the "honourable member that what I said is perfectly true. The House adjourned.