§ 24. Mr. EDWARD WOODasked the Secretary to the Treasury whether his attention has been called to the fact that an official lecturer at Boroughbridge, on 6th July last, was of opinion that potato gatherers were included under the National Insurance Act, and that another official lecturer at York, on 11th July, was of opinion that such labour was outside the provisions of the Act; and which interpretation of the Act has the support of the Commissioners?
§ Mr. MASTERMANPersons engaged in potato-picking are compulsory contributors if they were insured persons immediately before, but not otherwise. The lecturer at Boroughbridge was referring to persons who go from other employment to potato-picking; the lecturer at York was referring (as he definitely stated) to casual labour, namely, to persons not insured at the time they are engaged for potato-picking. I am sending the hon. Member a copy of the Subsidiary Employments Order, 1912 (No. 2), which defines the position of this and similar classes of employment.
§ Mr. LANE-FOXIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that the lecturer at Borough-bridge distinctly stated that men digging potatoes come under the Act, and when the statement was challenged he repeated it?
§ Mr. MASTERMAN(who informs the official reporter that he heard Mr. Lane-Fox indistinctly and understood him to refer to the lecturer at York): My information is definitely that he was only referring to casual labour, and in that case he was correct.
MARQUESS of TULLIBARDINEHave there not been two leaflets issued giving different, opinions as to the meaning of the words "raising," "lifting," and "gathering"?
§ Mr. MASTERMANA special Order was issued in the first place, and it was subsequently modified in accordance with advice received from agricultural members of the Advisory Committee.