§ 8. Mr. Prenticeasked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance whether he will take steps to amend the regulations for the payment of sickness benefit, etc., to night workers so as to avoid the present situation whereby a man who resumes work on a different shift may lose a day's benefit compared with a day worker who is sick for the same period.
§ The Minister of Pensions and National Insurance (Mr. John Boyd-Carpenter)No, Sir. I think the present regulations dealing with payments of benefit to shift workers (Statutory Instrument No. 1277 of 1948, as amended) are appropriate, and I cannot accept that their effect is accurately summarised in the hon Member's Question.
§ Mr. PrenticeWould not the Minister agree that under these regulations sometimes a man at the end of a period of sickness may lose a day's sickness benefit and possibly a day's wages? Should not the regulations be amended to ensure that a man who is a night worker will always get as many days' benefit as a day worker who is sick for the same period?
§ Mr. Boyd-CarpenterI realise that every possible variation of circumstance is possible, but I am bound to say that the example the hon. Gentleman sent to me does not seem to bear out his contention, since the days he complained were treated as days of work were days on which the man concerned worked six hours on one day and a full shift on the other.