§ 19. Mr. FELLasked the Secretary to the Treasury if his attention has been called to a letter, dated 16th December, from the National Health Insurance Commission refusing to issue a special order under Part II. (k) of the First Schedule to the National Insurance Act to exempt the share fishermen of Lowestoft from liability to insurance; will he say what was the reason for this refusal; and, seeing that similar orders have been issued to share fishermen in Cornwall, will he say what was the reason for the different treatment of the share fishermen of Great Yarmouth and Lowestoft?
§ Mr. MASTERMANYes, Sir. In the Cornish ports in question the conditions under which the fishermen work approximate closely to true co-partnership, and the men are entitled by custom to continue to receive their share of the profits of fishing while temporarily incapacitated through illness. This is not the case at 814 Lowestoft, where, apart from the method of payment by share, all the ordinary incidents of employment are to be found, and the application was accordingly refused.
§ Mr. MASTERMANI am not sure, but I will see if I can find any papers suitable for publication.