§ 2. Mr. Godberasked the Minister of Labour if he will hold consultations with the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance to promote legislation to provide wage-related unemployment benefit.
§ The Joint Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Labour (Mr. Ernest Thornton)The provision of wage-related unemployment benefit is already being considered by my right hon. Friend the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance.
§ Mr. GodberWhen I put this Question down I did not realise that we shall be having an opportunity of discussing this matter later today. I shall not, therefore, pursue it further at the moment except to ask why the Minister does not think it necessary that he should be involved 4 in these discussions. Is it not important that this legislation should come forward; in fact, should it not have come forward before now?
§ Mr. ThorntonOn the latter point, I know that some people think that priority should be given to the subject of wage-related unemployment benefit. I do not necessarily agree, but I do agree that this is an interesting and important subject which can be better debated later today.