§ 9. Mr. GALLACHERasked the Minister of Labour whether the decision of a court of referees to deprive Mr. J. Callaghan, a Barry seaman, of unemployment benefit because of his refusal to pay a debt or part of a debt will be applied in all cases where a man is prevented from taking a job because of an arrangement come to between an employer or a group of employers and the parties to whom a debt may be owing?
§ Lieut.-Colonel MUIRHEADThe decision in the case to which the hon. Member refers was given on the facts of that case and in accordance with the provisions of the law as interpreted by the umpire. Other cases must be similarly decided, and it would be useless for me to attempt to say in advance w hat the decision ought to be.
§ Mr. GALLACHERAm I to understand that this case was put before the umpire, and, if so, when?
§ Lieut.-Colonel MUIRHEADNo, this particular case did not come before the umpire because the gentleman in question did not exercise his right of asking leave to appeal, and no appeal was made. The point is that there was a previous umpire's decision on an analogous case, and the court of referees was guided by that.
§ Mr. GALLACHERArising out of the peculiarity of this decision, will the Minister advise his representative who was responsible for the decision in the first place to put the case before the umpire?
§ Lieut.-Colonel MUIRHEADNo, that would be outside my right hon. Friend's powers in this and similar cases.
§ Mr. ELLIS SMITHHas the time for an appeal elapsed?
§ Lieut.-Colonel MUIRHEADAn appeal may be allowed before the umpire six months after the decision of the court of referees.
§ Mr. STEPHENIs it not customary for the Ministry officials to take appeals to the umpire?
§ Lieut.-Colonel MUIRHEADThat is a matter for the insurance officer's discretion.
§ 10. Mr. T. SMITHasked the Minister of Labour whether, in view of the fact that the anomalies regulations under the Unemployment Insurance Act have not been reviewed since 1933, that a case has arisen in which a married woman was disallowed benefit, not on the ground that she was married but on the ground of childbirth, whereas a single woman in the same circumstances would be allowed benefit, and that other grievances have arisen such as that of the dockers employed on the butter boats at Grimsby who have been classed as seasonal workers, he will request the Statutory Committee to review these regulations and make recommendations for their modification to meet these cases of hardship?
§ Lieut.-Colonel MUIRHEADI cannot add to the reply to the hon. Member for the English Universities (Miss Rath-bone) on 19th December last, of which I am sending the hon. Member a copy.