§ 9 and 10. Mr. LANGasked the Minister of Labour (1) if she is aware that a number of unemployed women cotton operatives in Oldham have been deprived of unemployment pay through refusing to accept domestic service in military canteens; and will she have this matter inquired into with a view to removing the disqualification;
(2) if she is aware that a number of unemployed women cotton operatives in Oldham have been deprived of unemployment pay on account of their refusal to accept seasonal domestic work at hotels at wages of 10s. per week; and will she have this matter inquired into with a view to removing this disqualification?
§ Miss BONDFIELDThe question that arises in all such cases is whether the employment offered is suitable. In accordance with the Unemployment Insurance Acts this question must be decided by the courts of referees, subject to certain rights of appeal to the umpire.
§ Mr. LANGAm I to understand from the answer that the Minister has no power at all in these cases and that these women may be taken from an insured occupation and put into non-insurable occupations and lose the benefit of the contract which they have made?
§ Miss BONDFIELDThe hon. Member will remember that in the 1930 Act special provision was made to extend the period during which temporary work in a non-insurable trade could be followed without loss of insurance rights by those in an insured trade. I know of no case of the kind of action suggested by the hon. Member.
Dr. VERNON DAVIESIs the right hon. Lady aware that some of these girls are being offered employment in seaside places, 50 or 100 miles away from their homes; and does she think that a girl whose parents refuse to let her go to such a place should be refused benefit?
§ Miss BONDFIELDWith regard to the cotton operatives, may I say that they are of the best organised workers in the country. They are ably represented at the Court of Referees by their own union officials, and I cannot conceive any better tribunal for judging local circumstances.
§ Mr. LANGArising further out of the right hon. Lady's answer, I wish to know whether many of these girls are being offered seasonal employment at ridiculously low wages; that their return fares are being deducted from their wages, and that some girls, who were found unsuitable for these occupations have actually been stranded.
§ Miss BONDFIELDThat is surely all bound up in the question of whether they have been offered suitable employment or not, and they have the remedy already, under the Act of refusing the employment offered and taking the matter to the Umpire.
§ Mr. LANGIn view of the unsatisfactory nature of the reply, I beg to give notice that I shall raise this matter on the Motion for the Adjournment tonight.