HC Deb 09 July 1920 vol 131 cc1873-5

(1) If it is shown to the satisfaction of the Minister by any person who is or has been an insured contributor or by his personal representatives that that person has paid contributions in accordance with the general provisions of this Act in respect of not less than the required number of weeks, and that he has, or had before his death, reached the age of sixty, he or his representatives, shall be entitled to be repaid out of the unemployment fund the amount if any by which the total amount of those contributions has exceeded the total amount received by him out of the unemployment fund, together with compound interest at the rate of two and a half per centum per annum calculated in the prescribed manner and as if a proportionate part of the amount of the excess had become due at the end of each calendar year next after the date on which the first contribution was paid by him. For the purpose of the foregoing provision the expression 'the required number of weeks means in the case of an insured contributor who, at the time when contributions first became payable in respect of him, was over the age of fifty-five, five hundred weeks reduced by fifty weeks for every year or part of year by which his age at that time exceeded fifty-five, and in the case of any other insured contributor, five hundred weeks. (2) Repayment to an insured contributor under this Section shall not affect his liability to pay contributions under this Act, and if after any such repayment he becomes entitled to unemployment benefit he shall, for the purpose of ascertaining the period during which he is to be entitled to benefit, be treated as having paid in respect of the period for which the repayment was made the full number of contributions which is most nearly equal to five-eighths of the number of contributions actually paid during that period.

Dr. MACNAMARA

I beg to move, in Sub-section (1), after the word "contributions" ["amount of those contributions"], to insert the Words exclusive of any contributions refunded under any of the provisions of this Act or of any regulations made thereunder. This is a drafting Amendment. It secures that no repayment under this Clause will be made in respect of contributions refunded under other provisions.

Amendment agreed to.

Further Amendments made: In Sub section (1), leave out the words "out of the unemployment fund" ["received by him out of the unemployment fund'], and insert instead thereof the words "by way of unemployment benefit."

Leave out the word "calendar," and insert instead thereof the word "insurance."

After the word "him" [first contribution was paid by him"], insert the words, "Provided that where any insured contributor has at any time ceased for a period of five insurance years to be an insured contributor, no account shall, for the purpose of the foregoing provision, be taken of any contributions paid in respect of him before the last such period."

After the word "contributions" ["time when contributions"], insert the words "being contributions of which account is to be taken for the purpose of the foregoing provisions."—[Dr. Macnamara.]

Dr. MACNAMARA

I beg to move, in Sub-section (2), after the word "equal" ["equal to five-eighths"], to insert the words "in the case of men to three-fifths and in the case of women."

This Amendment is consequential upon the alteration of rates of contribution.

Lieut. - Commander KENWORTHY

How about some Amendments I wish to move later on equalising the contributions for men and women? If this Amendment be accepted, will that be used as an argument against the acceptance of mine?

Dr. MACNAMARA

I should not use it as an argument. I am here taking out the employed person's contribution and then speaking of it in different fractions, and I do not see how that raises the question of equalising the contributions.

Lieut.-Commander KENWORTHY

I take it that this Amendment means they do not take out the same benefit at the end of 60 years, whereas by the original Bill they did.

Dr. MACNAMARA

No, they never did.

Amendment agreed to.