§ 22. Mr. DEVLINasked the Minister of Labour whether his attention has been called to the attitude of the local Labour Ministry in Belfast in regard to the payment of unemployment donation last week; whether he is aware that large numbers of unemployed workers, who, for the convenience of the local Ministry, have been signing up at the mills and factories in which they were formerly employed, were informed by the local authorities that, as Wednesday, 22ndJune, the day of the opening of the Parliament 2139 of Northern Ireland, was a bank holiday, no unemployment donation was payable for that day; whether they were also informed that, as the failure to sign up on Wednesday broke the continuity of the week, no donation would be payable for the two preceding days, Monday and Tuesday; and whether, seeing that this decision means the loss of three days' unemployment grant to many hundreds of workers, he proposes to take any action in the matter?
§ Dr. MACNAMARAThe facts are. I understand, generally as stated by my hon. Friend. The Umpire, who is the final authority, has decided that workpeople on short time are in general not entitled to benefit for holidays. In this case the decision to declare the day of the opening of the Northern Parliament a bank holiday affected the continuity rule; and, in short, may have had the result of bringing about, as my hon. Friend says, a loss of three days' unemployment benefit. Now, I must not under any circumstances even seem to prejudge the view of the Umpire. But if my hon. Friend will give me particulars, I will arrange for a test case to be submitted to the Umpire, in order that he may decide whether the holiday, which in this case affected the continuity rule, is a customary holiday within the meaning of his previous decision.
§ Mr. DEVLINCan the right hon. Gentleman state why these workers should be victimised because the Ulster Parliament was opened?
§ Dr. MACNAMARAI am sorry my hon. Friend reads that into it. He has really no right to do so, if I may say so with great respect. This was Bank Holiday, the place was closed, and the men could not come and sign. Therefore the continuity rule was broken in the ordinary course, but the decision had nothing to do with the Ulster Parliament. I am going to submit a case—without prejudging it by expressing any view—to the umpire, to see whether or not it will be held that this was a customary holiday or otherwise.
§ Mr. DEVLINIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that this was not a customary holiday at all, but a holiday created for a special purpose, that special purpose being to open the Ulster Parlia- 2140 ment, and will he say why should these workers of Belfast suffer because the State decides to have a special Bank Holiday on a specific day?
§ Dr. MACNAMARAMy hon. Friend must realise that I am trying to help him.
§ Mr. DEVLINHelp Carson's followers—not me!
§ Dr. MACNAMARAI am going to give the umpire an opportunity of saying whether or not this was a customary holiday in accordance with the previous decision.