§ 31. Mr. STEPHENasked the Minister of Labour whether he will consider the amendment of the Unemployment Act so that all disability pensions under the amount of £1 per week will be excluded from calculations under the means test when such disability has arisen out of, or in the course of, his employment, as well as disability arising from service in the Great War?
§ Lieut.-Colonel MUIRHEADI am informed that it is the practice of the Unemployment Assistance Board to treat payments of the kind referred to as if they were payments under the enactments relating to workmen's compensation. The Unemployment Assistance Act provides that, in computing the resources of an applicant for an allowance, such payments shall be disregarded to the extent of one-half, and I am not
Lieut.-Colonel MU IR H EADAs there is a table of figures included in the answer, I will, if I may, circulate it in the OFFICIAL REPORT.
§ Following is the answer:
§ aware of any sufficient grounds for amending this provision.
§ Mr. STEPHENCan the hon. and gallant Member say why this distinction should be drawn between a pension received for an industrial accident and a pension granted for disability received in the War?
Lieut.-Colonel MU IRHEADWhen the House came to the conclusion it did about disability pensions received in the War it had certain definite considerations in mind.