HC Deb 11 October 1945 vol 414 cc372-3
3. Mr. Beechman

asked the Minister of National Insurance whether he will expedite the formulation of a special scheme for the purpose of making adequate unemployment benefit available to all sea fishermen, with special reference to the anomalous position of share fishermen.

Mr. J. Griffiths

This is one of the matters to which the Government will give full consideration in framing the provisions of the main Insurance Bill to be introduced early next year. In the meantime, I cannot go beyond what is said on this subject in Part I of the White Paper on Social Insurance, paragraph 78 (iii), Cmd. 6550.

Mr. Beechman

But does the Minister realise that the White Paper is wrong when it excludes fishermen from Class 1 on the ground that they control their own unemployment?

Mr. Griffiths

I can only say that the matter will be given further consideration and that our proposals will eventually be embodied in the major Bill.