§ 1. Mr. Shepherdasked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance if she will give an estimate of the number of persons drawing unemployment benefit at the latest available date classified as unemployable; and how many professional persons retiring before the age at which they become entitled to a state retirement pension are signing on at employment exchanges but not genuinely seeking work.
§ The Minister of Pensions and National Insurance (Miss Margaret Herbison)The answer to the first part of the Question is that no one who is receiving unemployment benefit is classified as unemployable. On the second part of the Question, no such statistics are available.
§ Mr. ShepherdBut does not the right hon. Lady realise that, on the second part of the Question, a great deal of concern is caused particularly in areas where large numbers of people are discharged by large organisations at a relatively early age who go on drawing unemployment benefit although there is little prospect of them being employed? Will she ask her advisers to look at this problem, because obviously it will be a growing one?
§ Miss HerbisonI agree very much with what the hon. Gentleman has said. There is no doubt that many people are worried about this matter. What I hope to say on the Second Reading of the National Insurance Bill today will, perhaps, relieve the hon. Gentleman's mind a little.