§ 13. Mr. Haleasked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance to what extent the recent arrangements for payment of unemployment pay to workers on short-time apply to workers in the cotton industry.
§ Mr. Boyd-CarpenterNo new arrangements have been made by my Department on this subject. If the hon. Member has in mind recent decisions of the National Insurance Commissioner on cases arising in the engineering industry, these decisions, which turned on the construction of the agreements in force in these cases, apply only where these, or similar, agreements are in operation.
I understand that the majority of workers on short-time in the cotton industry are receiving unemployment benefit.
§ Mr. HaleI am much obliged to the Minister for that answer. I would be 690 grateful if he would look into the matter and have a word with the unions to find out whether that really is the case, because my information is that a very large number of people were not receiving benefit.
§ Mr. Boyd-CarpenterThe figures which I have indicate that the majority who are on short time in the cotton industry are receiving it; but if the hon. Member so wishes, I will, of course, check it further.