HC Deb 23 April 1934 vol 288 cc1511-3

The Unemployment Insurance Statutory Committee shall, as soon as may be after the passing of this Act, take into consideration the application of the Unemployment Insurance Acts to pithead baths' attendants and shall make a report to the Minister containing such recommendations as the committee may think fit.—[Mr. Daggar.]

Brought up, and read the First time.

Mr. DAGGAR

I beg to move, "That the Clause be read a Second time."

It is a matter of much regret to many of us on these benches that this provision was not included in the Bill, because the matter is one of considerable importance. Up to December, 1932, as many as 121 collieries in Great Britain were equipped with pithead baths under the welfare scheme, and at 45 others baths were in course of construction, while 54 had, or were to have, canteens. These circumstances make the number of men employed at pithead baths and canteens a matter of considerable importance. It is very difficult to ascertain correctly the number of men so employed. In December, 1932, I put a question to the Minister of Labour asking him the number of men employed in connection with pithead baths in Great Britain, and whether it was proposed, under the new Unemployment Insurance Bill, to include these men as contributors to the fund. He replied that there were employed at these baths about 400 men and that the Royal Commission on Unemployment Insurance had recommended that they should be brought within the scheme and that recommendation at the time was under consideration.

In view of that answer, I very much regret that the Clause was not made a part of the Bill, and we have no alternative but to ask that the Statutory Committee shall immediately give consideration to the inclusion of these men. Many of them, before undertaking this work, were in receipt of small amounts of compensation. Some were without means of support and some at present are without any other means of support. There are other men working in and about the colliery who are included in the scheme and why the Government have not undertaken to include these men requires some explanation. There are others, in all probability, who paid into the fund when in employment, but, simply because they have been transferred to this kind of work, they are no longer entitled to benefit when the pits are rendered idle. It is true that in the Bill the Minister has the right to issue regulations to include them. Nevertheless, we are desirous that this Clause shall be inserted and that immediate consideration shall be given to the case of these men by the Committee.

10.37 p.m.

Mr. HUDSON

The Clause is unnecessary. The question of pithead bath attendants was specifically considered by the Royal Commission, which made certain definite recommendations on the subject, and it is in order to be able to meet those recommendations among others that we have included the general powers in Clause 2. As soon as the Bill passes into law, it is the intention of my right hon. Friend to frame regulations dealing among other things with pithead bath attendants and submit them for the opinion and advice of the Statutory Committee. I have no doubt the Committee will give it their attention, and then it will be possible to make the necessary order to deal with these specific points. Therefore, the matter is actually covered, along with a number of other borderline cases.

Motion and Clause, by leave, withdrawn.

The CHAIRMAN

Lord Eustace Percy.

Mr. LAWSON

May I ask, Sir, why you are not calling my Clause—(insurance of outworkers)?

The CHAIRMAN

I did not select it. I regarded it as a matter dealt with by the previous Motion.