§ 69. Mr. JOWETTasked the right hon. Gentleman if he will inquire into the case of Mr. Alexander C. Paterson, of 245, Caledonian Road, Motherwell, who is being compelled against his will, after having appealed to the Umpire, to pay contributions under the National Insurance Act, although he is a store labourer and not employed in an insured trade, nor is he ever likely to be in a position to claim unemployment benefit?
Mr. ROBERTSONI undersand that Mr. Paterson is a store labourer, employed by a firm of bridge, girder, and tank builders and constructional workers. The Umpire has decided that work of this class is an insured trade, and, further, that store labourers in the business of any firm engaged in an insured trade are themselves insured workmen. I presume that Mr. Paterson is being required to contribute in accordance with these decisions of the Umpire, with which I have no power to interfere. Mr. Paterson, being an insured workmen, will have exactly the same right to unemployment benefit as all other insured workmen.