§ 7. Mr. Gwilym Robertsasked the Minister of Social Security if she will introduce legislation to ensure that short-time workers who have worked 11 or S4 1087 12 weeks of short time in a 13-week period receive full benefit for the first three days of unemployment.
§ Miss HerbisonUnemployment benefit is already payable for the first three days of unemployment, known as waiting days, where there are at least 12 days of unemployment or sickness, apart from isolated days, in a 13-week period.
§ Mr. RobertsIs my right hon. Friend aware, however, that many Vauxhall workers in the Luton area find themselves in the position that after working 11 short weeks in a 13-week period they do not receive their three waiting days' payment merely because they work an intermediate week during the period at the firm's request?
§ Miss HerbisonI understand that there was a small group of about 20 to 30 workers who did not have the necessary 12 days of unemployment, and it was because of this that they did not qualify for the payment of waiting days. Indeed, it was because they worked longer than the others.