§ 89. Mr. THOMASasked the President of the Board of Trade whether men employed by the Great Eastern Railway Company in the permanent-way department are being stopped contributions under Part II. of the National Insurance Act for time when they are actually booked but do not perform work that, under an Umpire's decision, is brought under this Part of the Act; and whether, having regard to the complication and inconvenience caused by men in the permanent employ of one employer, but whose work varies between that paid out of capital and revenue from time to time, he will consider the advisability of exempting permanent-way men from being compulsorily insured?
§ The PARLIAMENTARY SECRETARY to the BOARD of TRADE (Mr. J. M. Robertson)No compliants have been made to the Board of Trade with regard to the matter referred to in the first part of the question, but, if my hon. Friend will supply me with specific instances, I will have inquiry made into them. As regards the second part of the question, the only powers enabling the Board to exclude workmen from unemployment insurance are those conferred by Section 104, which do not appear to apply to cases such as those mentioned.
§ Mr. THOMASIs the hon. Gentleman aware that practically the whole of the permanent-way men employed by the railway company, although they have portions of their wages stopped under this Part of the Act, can never be in benefit, because the time that elapses between the periods of the work?
§ Mr. ROBERTSONI think my hon. Friend is wrong as to their never being in benefit, but I shall be glad to go into detail on the matter with him.