§ 35. Mr. JOYCEasked the President of the Board of Trade whether his attention has been called to the delay in filling up the appointments recommended by the Trades Council of Limerick of three members to act on behalf of the workers under Part II. of the National Insurance Act; is he aware that the Trades Council of Limerick nominated three members of their body some months ago; and will he see that no further delay will take place in having those men appointed?
§ The PARLIAMENTARY SECRETARY to the BOARD of TRADE (Mr. J. M. Robertson)My hon. Friend appears to be under sonic misapprehension with regard to the constitution of Courts of Referees. It is provided by the Unemployment Insurance Regulations made by the Board of Trade under Part II. of the National Insurance Act that the members of panels 687 of Courts of Referees to represent workmen in a trade or group of trades in a district shall be elected by those workmen, and that any candidate for election shall be nominated by twenty-five workmen. Consequently it would not be within the competence of a trades council as such to nominate representatives. It is further provided by the same Regulations that vacancies on a panel representing either employers or workmen may be filled by the Board of Trade. In view, however, of the small number of appeals which have been made to the Courts of Referees, it has not so far been found necessary to fill vacancies in this manner, but the question of filling these and other similar vacancies is now under consideration. I may point out, however, to my hon. Friend that there are already eleven workmen's representatives on the panel of the Limerick district.