63. Captain MACDONALDasked the Secretary of State for Dominion Affairs if he will make a statement regarding the representations made to him by the Government of the Irish Free State with regard to the payment of unemployment insurance benefit to Irish workers who have returned to the Irish Free state after losing their employment in this country
The SECRETARY of STATE for DOMINION AFFAIRS (Mr. J. H. Thomas)The reciprocal arrangement with the Irish Free State with regard to unemployment insurance was terminated in 1923 at the instance of the Government of the Irish Free State. An agreement for reciprocity is practicable only if there is a considerable measure of similarity between the schemes. Proposals for a new agreement providing for reciprocal arrangements on a basis different from that previously in operation have recently been made by the Irish Free State Government, and the matter is under consideration.