§ 8. Lieut.-Colonel ACLAND - TROYTEasked the Minister of Labour whether he 230 will consider altering the period for which a seasonal worker may be employed without paying unemployment insurance contributions from 18 weeks, as laid down in his leaflet U.I.L. 13, to 26 weeks, in order that many seasonal workers at seaside resorts may receive the benefit of this relief?
§ Sir H. BETTERTONAn extension of the class of seasonal workers who may obtain exemption from unemployment insurance could only be effected by fresh legislation, and I must accordingly await the report of the Royal Commission on Unemployment Insurance before coming to a conclusion on this matter.
§ Lieut.-Colonel ACLAND-TROYTEAre not those dates laid down by the Circular and not by this House?
§ Sir H. BETTERTONNo, Sir, that is not true, but the whole question is being considered by the Royal Commission on Unemployment Insurance, and I should be unwilling to alter—in fact I would not—the present practice until I had seen the, report of the Commission.
§ Sir JOSEPH NALLIs it not a fact that seasonal work at the seaside is one of the occupations most abused?