In 232 cases new certificates were issued (in some cases to bodies already holding certificates). In 1,210 cases certificates of which the period of validity expired on 4th July, 1927, were renewed for a further period.

At the beginning of the year 1927 a new form of certificate was brought into operation based on experience of the administration of this provision gained during the preceding six years. In 763 cases where certificates in the old form were valid until some date after July, 1927, it was thought desirable immediately to replace the certificates by certificates in the new form. This replacement was being carried out at the end of the year. When it has been completed, full effect will incidentally have been given to a scheme instituted in the interests of more efficient and economical administration whereby, in future, certificates of exception will fall due for renewal at dates conveniently spread over the year instead of at one date in the middle of the year.

Further consideration was given during the year to the question of the effect on certificates of exception of suspensions from work, without wages, of excepted employees in consequence of the general strike of 1926, and the subsequent effect of the coal dispute. The position is gradually being regularised.

Reference was made on p. 43 of the Report for the year 1926 to certain litigation with a Board of Control in Scotland. Subsequently to the proceedings there described, the Board of Control entered into a new contract of service with its employees securing them against dismissal, except on grounds of misconduct, neglect in the performance of, or unfitness to perform, their duties. A decision was given by Lord Constable to the effect that persons employed under these contracts could be excepted without being subject to the requirement of three years' previous service in the employment. A certificate was issued accordingly.

Arising out of the administration of certificates of exception at headquarters, arrears of contributions amounting to £1,981 14s. 3d. have been collected during the year in respect of employees who have been erroneously regarded as excepted under Part II (d) of the Schedule.

BENEFIT.

Amount paid.

The following table shows the amount of benefit paid during the year; it includes standard, extended and dependants benefit :

The average weekly payment per head of persons actually drawing benefit within the year was 18s.

The average weekly number of persons paid benefit was about 786,000.

Determination of Claims.

The following tables show the numbers of cases referred to the Chief Insurance Officer, the Courts of Referees and the Umpire, respectively, during 1927 and the nature of the decisions given by those authorities:

Claims referred to Chief Insurance Officer during 1927.

The trade dispute disallowances refer largely to test cases. The total number of individuals affected by disallowances under this head is considerably in excess of the figures shown in the tables.

A note of some of the more important decisions of the Umpire during the year is given in the Appendix to this Chapter.

Local Employment Committees.-The following tables illustrate the work of the Local Employment Committees during the year in connection with extended benefit :—

Applications for Extended Benefit considered by Local Employment Committees, 11th January, 1927, to 16th January, 1928.

The total number of

The trade dispute disallowances refer largely to test cases. individuals affected by disallowances under this head is considerably in excess of the figures shown in the tables.

In previous Reports reference has been made to the heavy work undertaken by Local Employment Committees, and opportunity has been taken to acknowledge the debt which the Department and the public owe to the Committees for their devoted voluntary service on this work. Under the Act of 1927 all claims for unemployment benefit and all questions arising in connection with such

claims will fall to the Insurance Officer, Courts of Referees and Umpire, and the work which the Local Employment Committees have been doing during the last few years on extended and dependants benefit will come to an end. It is fitting that the Department should once more place on record its appreciation of the services which have been rendered in this connection by Committees. From the inception of uncovenanted benefit in 1921 up to the end of 1927, Committees have dealt with approximately 25,250,000 applications for unemployment benefit (including reviews, an average of nearly 3,700,000 per annum). In addition, the Committees have dealt with nearly 1,300,000 applications for dependants benefit. These figures in themselves suggest that the task has been a heavy one, but the real nature of the work which the Committees have performed cannot perhaps be adequately appreciated save by those, whether applicants or others, who have been present at meetings and have witnessed the sympathetic and thorough consideration which is bestowed upon cases often difficult and complicated. At the close of this phase of their work the Department wishes to thank the Committees for their assistance.

Poor Law Authorities.-The amount paid to Poor Law Authorities during 1927 under Section 14 of the Unemployment Insurance Act, 1922, was £166,270, as compared with £156,907 in 1926. The total amount paid to the Authorities since June, 1922, was £651,290. The payments are in respect of excess relief paid by them pending consideration of applicants' claims to benefit (see Report for 1925, p. 71). The average number of Authorities paid each month in 1927 was 214.

Procedure for dealing with Claims for Benefit.

The national stoppage of work in the coal mining industry and the general strike in May, 1926, had rendered it necessary to provide for special modification of the administrative procedure for dealing with claims for benefit in order to meet the extraordinary pressure of work which arose at certain local offices. The normal procedure was reverted to as soon as a diminution in the volume of work at the local offices concerned rendered it possible, but it was not until well into 1927 that the special arrangements were finally discontinued.

Reference was made in the Report on National Unemployment Insurance to July, 1923, to the system whereby during times of heavy pressure of work at local offices a special time is allotted to each claimant at which he is required to attend to furnish proof of unemployment and to receive payment of benefit. The arrangements made in this connection were recently reviewed in the light of the criticism that they hinder claimants in their search for work. Attendance at a local office is necessary from an administrative point of view and the allocation of definite times of attendance obviates the formation of queues. Moreover, the