§ 12. Mr. MATTERSasked the Minister of Labour if arrangements can be made to continue the payment of unemployment insurance benefit in those special cases where her Department declares the insured person to be over 65 years of age and the Ministry of Health refuses or withholds payment of the old age pension on the ground that no proof of pensionable age is forthcoming through 1439 inability of the claimant to produce the customary certificate of registration of birth?
§ Miss BONDFIELDAny question whether a person may continue to receive unemployment benefit must be determined by the statutory authorities. A provisional payment of ten shillings a week is made in cases in which a claimant is clearly entitled either to unemployment benefit or to an old age pension, according to whether he is under or over 65, but where his precise age is in doubt.
§ Mr. MATTERSCan the right hon. Lady say then why, in certain cases which I could bring to her notice, payment of the sum which she mentioned is withheld for weeks?
§ Miss BONDFIELDIt may be that some other question is involved than the question of age in such cases.
§ Mr. KELLYWhat is the basis upon which the officers of the Department come to the conclusion that an applicant is 65 years of age if there is no certificate?
§ Miss BONDFIELDAn applicant who is in receipt of unemployment benefit may say he is 65 years of age, and there may be some difficulty in satisfying the Ministry of Health officers that he is 65, but during that time if this arrangement were not in force he would fall between two stools.
§ Mr. MATTERSIs it possible to make some arrangements with the Ministry of Health whereby unfortunate individuals in these circumstances are given some measure of benefit?
§ Miss BONDFIELDIf the hon. Member will put forward individual cases, they will be taken up.