§ 8. Mr. Skinnardasked the Minister of National Insurance whether mothers of small children who have been forced to leave their employment through the raising of their local authority's day nursery charges to 25s. per week per child, and who have been refused benefit on the ground that they are still able to work, are entitled to a refund of their unemployment insurance contributions.
§ Mr. SteeleThere are no circumstances in which a refund can be made of contributions properly paid under the Unemployment Insurance Acts, but I have no knowledge of any case where a woman has been disqualified for the receipt of benefit for leaving employment in the circumstances described. If my hon. Friend will send me particulars of the case he has in mind, I will have further inquiries made.
§ Mr. SkinnardSince such disqualification has actually been made, and is due entirely to an action of the local authority, which has forced these women out of industry, which still requires their ser vices—and they are not mobile women—is it not an injustice to refuse the return of these contributions?
§ Mr. SteeleOf course, the Question has regard to unemployment payments, and I would be happy if the hon. Gentleman would send me these particulars so that I may have them investigated. I quite appreciate, of course, so far as concerns the statements made by my hon. Friend that it is not the fault of the women in these cases that they are out of industry.