§ 42. Mr. GROVESasked the Minister of Labour whether it is the considered policy of his Department that workmen who are compelled to retire from their ordinary industrial pursuits at the age limits of 60 to 65 years, and are in receipt of a weekly pension of from 5s. to 20s., to which they have contributed from their weekly earnings, are refused unemployment insurance benefit on the ground that they are not genuinely seeking work; and whether he will state whether it is the view of his Department that such men should not be expected at that age to be seeking jobs?
§ Sir A. STEEL-MAITLANDThere is no requirement under the Unemployment Insurance Acts which has the effect of disqualifying a man for the receipt of benefit solely because he has been compelled to leave his employment on pension on reaching an age limit of 60 to 65 1408 years. Such men, however, must in common with other claimants satisfy the statutory conditions, one of which is that they must be genuinely seeking work.
§ Mr. GROVESWill thy right hon. Gentleman say whether he is aware that there are a large number of cases that are affected by the principle that men are refused benefit on the plea that they are not genuinely seeking work on the ground that they are pensioned off and, therefore, are not likely to seek it?
§ Sir A. STEEL-MAITLANDIf there are any individual cases like that, I will be glad to look into them. I do not want anyone to be prejudiced by the fact that he has a pension, because the fact of having a pension does not mean that they are necessarily past work or that they are not necessarily seeking work.
Mr. BECKETTIs the right hon. Gentleman in a position to tell us what his Department regards as proof of genuinely seeking work?