HC Deb 02 June 1932 vol 266 cc1300-1
6. Mr. NEIL MACLEAN

asked the Minister of Labour whether he is aware that a number of men who were employed for a few days before, and re-employed after, the New Year holidays on ship repair work at Partick and Govan, have not yet received their unemployment benefit from the Govan Employment Exchange for the days between the two periods of employment; that the cases of two of the men were selected by the Exchange officials and put before the court of referees as test eases, the decision upon which was to govern the remainder; that the court of referees decided in favour of the two cases; that the insurance officer appealed to the umpire and refused to observe the arrangement of the test case but sent the remainder of the men individually before the court of referees, which decided against each of the men, only giving leave to appeal to the umpire to three; that the chairman of the court of referees informed the men's representative that the umpire's decision would apply to all the men whom he had disallowed and that the umpire has given his decision in favour of the men whose cases had been referred to him, but the insurance officer refuses to apply that decision to the remainder and is now sending them before another court of referees; whether he can state the reason for the breach of the original arrangement of the two test cases, the cost of, and the time taken by, the courts of referees and the umpire in hearing these cases; and whether, to avoid further waste of time and expense in this matter, he will have the benefit which should have been paid on 15th January, and which the umpire decided they are entitled to, paid without further delay?

Sir H. BETTERTON

I am having inquiry made, and will communicate the result to the hon. Member as soon as possible.

Mr. MACLEAN

As this case has been going on since the beginning of January, will the right hon. Gentleman see to it that the inquiry he is making is expedited with due regard to that fact?

Sir H. BETTERTON

Yes, Sir; I have given directions to that effect.

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