§ 72. Sir W. de FRECEasked the Minister of Labour the number of men 320 and women, respectively, who have exhausted their unemployment benefit in the present industrial trouble?
§ The MINISTER of LABOUR (Dr. Macnamara)As I have already explained, the Unemployment Insurance Act, 1921, made provision for the payment of benefit, subject to certain conditions, for 16 weeks in the period between 3rd March and 2nd November, 1921. Accordingly, the earliest date at which the rights to benefit under the Act can be exhausted is 22nd June, in cases; in which the conditions for the receipt of the full amount are satisfied. There are certain exceptional cases in which applicants who are not entitled to the full amount under the Act of 1921 have exhausted their rights. I am unable to state the number of such cases, but relatively to the whole number they are not numerous.
§ Mr. HAYDAYThose who became entitled to 48 days under the Act of November, 1920, only got a further 48 days' extension as from March or February under the 1921 Act. Surely, a large number of these must have exhausted their benefit. Is not the percentage something like 15?
§ Dr. MACNAMARAUnder the Act of March, 1921, the official precedent followed was that an applicant should be able to show that he or she had been in insurable employment for 20 weeks during 1921. That qualification is not very onerous.
§ 76. Mr. GILLISasked the Minister of Labour whether he is aware that A. Temporal, along with eight other workmen employed by the Semit Solway Company, Limited, a private firm on the bye-product side of the Hoyland Silkstone Collieries, have been locked out eight weeks, and have not yet received unemployment benefit; that their application for the same has been before a court of referees at Leeds; that official letters came through to Mr. Key, the local labour, exchange official, and to Mr. Clarke, the local secretary of the Coke-men's Union, on the 26th April, to the effect that the men's case had been won; and will he, under these circumstances, state how it is that they have received no unemployment benefits?
§ Dr. MACNAMARAI am making inquiries, and will let my hon. Friend know the result.
§ 77. Mr. C. WHITEasked the Minister of Labour whether he is aware of the great delay in payment of unemployment benefit at the employment exchange, Matlock, where many applicants entitled to such benefit have not received any pay for 8 to 10 weeks; and whether he will take such steps as may be necessary to facilitate the payments due, as much suffering and privation prevails amongst the applicants?
§ Dr. MACNAMARAI am having inquiry made, and will inform my hon. Friend of the result.