§ 58. Mr. BARNESasked the President of the Board of Trade whether a man who is unemployed for a period of several weeks while his employer is stocktaking but is not actually discharged is debarred from receiving benefit under Part II. of the National Insurance Act?
The PARLIAMENTARY SECRETARY to the BOARD of TRADE (Mr. Robertson)The decision as to whether any applicant. is entitled to benefit under Part II. of the National Insurance Act rests ultimately with the Umpire appointed thereunder. I am unable, therefore, to give an authoritative answer to the point raised in the question, but it would not appear that the circumstances set out by my hon. Friend would in themselves disqualify a man from receiving benefit, provided that he otherwise complied with the provisions of the Act, which govern its receipt, including willingness to accept suitable employment if offered to him.
§ 59. Sir C. KINLOCH-COOKEasked the President of the Board of Trade if he will give the total number of unemployment books issued under Part II. of the National Insurance Act up to the 30th June, 1913, under the following heads: building, works of construction, shipbuilding, engineering and ironfounding, construction of vehicles, saw milling, and other industries; and the total number of claims to unemployment benefit made?
Mr. ROBERTSONI presume that the hon. Member intends to refer to the 30th June. I am circulating with the Votes a statement showing the number of unemployment books issued to workpeople in each of the insured trades up to and including 28th June, 1913. The total number of claims to unemployment benefit, made up to the 27th June, was 524,153. This latter number does not represent separate individuals, and, as I informed the hon. Member on the 7th May, the number of 221 persons who have' applied for unemployment benefit cannot be given until the annual statistics are ready.—[See Written Answers this date.]