§ 58. Sir M. MANNINGHAM-BULLERasked the Minister of Agriculture whether he is aware that men drawing unemployment benefit are, in many cases, deterred from accepting temporary agricultural employment for fear that by so doing they may become disqualified for further relief, and that in consequence many farmers are unable to get the labour they require for harvest and threshing; and whether, with a view to obviate this, he will lay down a maximum number of weeks which would be held to constitute temporary, as opposed to permanent, agricultural employment?
§ Mr. BETTERTONI have been asked to reply. In so far as standard benefit is concerned, the title of a claimant with the necessary contributions to his credit would not be affected by the fact that prior to making his claim he had been engaged in agricultural work. As regards extended benefit, I can assure my hon. Friend that a man otherwise qualified would not be placed at a disadvantage because he had worked at harvesting and threshing. The existing Acts do not give me authority to lay down a precise rule as to the period of employment, and I doubt whether such a rule would be really helpful. I should add that a man, for whom agricultural employment is held to be suitable, who refuses an offer of such employment would not. be eligible to receive benefit. I would invite my hon. Friend's attention to the Press notice which was issued on Saturday on this subject, of which I am sending him a copy.