§ 57. Sir A. GRIFFITH-BOSCAWENasked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware that it has been recently decided in certain industrial districts that the men engaged in certain sectional trades must come under the provisions of the unemployment part of the National Insurance Act though they were not compelled to do so last year; whether he knows that in their cases the men are called upon to pay arrears from the commencement of the Act, which in some cases amount to 2½d. a week for fifty-two weeks; and whether, in view of the hardships inflicted on the men in this way, it can be arranged that they should only pay from the date on which they actually came under the Act?
The PARLIAMENTARY SECRETARY to the BOARD of TRADE (Mr. Robertson)The decision whether contributions are payable under Part II. of the National Insurance Act in respect of any workman or class of workmen rests with the Umpire appointed under Section 89 of the Act. These decisions are given upon application being made to him; and where a decision that contributions are payable is given in the case of workmen in respect of whom no previous application has been made, such contributions are payable from the date on which the Act came into operation. In the absence of full knowledge of the particular cases which the hon. Member has in mind, it is not possible for me to give a definite reply to the point raised in the latter part of the question as to the payment of arrears in such cases. I am, however, sending the hon. Member a copy of the reply which I gave to the hon. Member for Tower Hamlets on the 19th June last on a similar point. I would add that, as the workman's claim to unemployment benefit is proportional to the number of his contributions, it is, generally speaking, 1852 to his interest that arrears should be paid.
§ Sir A. GRIFFITH-BOSCAWENIf a workman is compelled to come under the Act five years after the passing of the Act, would he have to pay five years' arrears?