§ 2. Sir MURDOCH McKENZIE WOODasked the Minister of Labour whether his attention has been drawn to the special hardship placed upon share fishermen by the postponement of the second appointed day under the Unemployment Insurance Act; whether he is aware of the extra burden likely to be thrown upon many fishing communities where share fishermen were not eligible for benefit under the system in force prior to the passing of the Act, but have hitherto largely succeeded in avoiding resort to the Poor Law; and whether, having regard to the experience of the herring industry in 1934, he has any proposal to make to assist these communities in this new difficulty they are called upon to face?
Mr. STANLEYI regret, of course, that it has been necessary to postpone the second appointed day, but share fishermen are in this connection in no different position from other persons who were not qualified for transitional payments. As regards the burden on local authorities, I would remind the hon. Member that a settlement has been reached with representatives of the associations of local authorities under which the authorities will receive grants in respect of the period of the postponement.