HC Deb 28 November 1966 vol 737 cc17-8
24. Mr. Dance

asked the Minister of Social Security whether she will introduce legislation to amend Section 22(1) of the National Insurance Act, 1965, to ensure that people who have received redundancy notices prior to the start of a trade dispute shall be entitled to un-employment benefit.

Miss Herbison

All aspects of the trade dispute disqualification for unemployment benefit are at present being examined by the Royal Commission on Trade Unions and Employers' Associations and I propose to await its recommendations on this very complicated subject before deciding whether any changes should be made in the present provisions.

Mr. Dance

We all appreciate that the right hon. Lady is very sympathetic to cases of hardship. Is she aware that in my constituency many car transporter employees were given redundancy notices on one weekend, that a strike started during the following week and that, since then some of these notices have expired and the employment terminated? This is causing hardship and, although we are grateful for having heard her views now, cannot she go further?

Miss Herbison

I am sorry, but under the present legislation there is nothing that can be done. This position has obtained since 1927. I am hoping that the Royal Commission will be able to put forward proposals that will ease the hardship—or perhaps I should say injustice— as our people see it at the present time.

47. Mr. Archer

asked the Minister of Social Security how many potential recipients of unemployment benefit in the latest period for which figures are available have been refused benefit under Section 13(1) of the National Insurance Act 1946, although not themselves participating in a trade dispute.

Miss Herbison

I regret that this information is not available.

Mr. Archer

Would not my right hon. Friend agree that the effect of the Section at the moment is that if there is one member in a workshop in a different union from the others it may deprive all of the employees of any benefit? In addition to the injustice of this, does it not provide a real incentive for a closed shop?

Miss Herbison

It is because of the difficulties involved in trade disputes and how unemployment benefit is affected by them that I felt it was important for the Royal Commission on Trade Unions and Employers' Associations to examine the whole of this matter.