§ If any employer satisfies the Board of Trade that during any period of depression in his business workmen employed by him have been systematically working short time, and that during such period he has paid contributions under this Part of this Act on behalf of such workmen, as well as on his own behalf, without recovering such contributions from such workmen either by way of deductions from wages or otherwise, there shall be refunded to him out of the unemployment fund, in accordance with regulations made by the Board of Trade, the contributions so paid by him in respect of those workmen (including those paid on behalf of the workmen as well as those paid on his own behalf), for the period or such part thereof as in the circumstances may seem just:
§ Provided that, except in a case where the working of short time has been effected by stopping the work for some day in the week which has been usually recognised as a working day of at least four hours in the 934 trade and district, no such refund shall be made in respect of any workmen for any week in which the hours of work have exceeded five-sixths of the number usually recognised as constituting a full week's work at that time in the trade and district.
§
Amendment made: At end add,
(2) Any employer who desires to take advantage of this Section may make an application to the Board of Trade with a view to obtaining their ruling as to the circumstances under which, and the means by which, he proposes to effect a reduction of working hours, and the Board of Trade may, if they think fit, on the necessary information being supplied, give their ruling as to whether the circumstances are such, and the proposed means of reducing working hours are such, as to satisfy the requirements of this Section.—[Mr. Buxton.]