HC Deb 01 December 1970 vol 807 cc1067-70
23. Mr. Booth

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many persons are currently unemployed and unable to receive unemployment benefit as a result of their period of unemployment having exceeded 312 days.

Mr. Dean

Of the 606,000 people registered as unemployed on 3rd August, 1970, 126,000 had exhausted their entitlement to unemployment benefit. 87,000 of these were, however, getting an allowance under the supplementary benefits scheme.

Mr. Booth

Does not the hon. Gentleman agree that to deny 126,000 unemployed persons entitlement to un-

Mr. Alison

As the answer consists of a table with figures, I will, if I may, circulate it in the OFFICIAL REPORT.

Mrs. Fisher

I thank the hon. Gentleman, and I shall be glad to receive the list. Will he accept that a large number of women are on hospital waiting lists for various forms of surgery? Does not he agree that this means not only pain and suffering for these women but also a loss of productive man hours because many husbands lose time at work in caring for their wives and families in these circumstances?

Mr. Alison

I am grateful to the hon. Lady for the care and concern she has about this subject. There is pressure on the hospitals for gynaecological beds but we hope that the extra resources we are making available to them will enable some inroads to be made on waiting lists.

Following are the figures:

employment benefit is to make a mockery of the unemployment benefit system? Will he consider introducing amending legislation so that anyone who is unemployed and seeking work can obtain unemployment benefit?

Mr. Dean

For many years now it has been the practice in our National Insurance arrangements that unemployment benefit should be primarily for the short term, for the change between jobs. Supplementary benefit arrangements are the most suitable for those who have long-term unemployment, who very often need additional help as well.

Mrs. Knight

Is my hon. Friend aware that there is strong antipathy among the public towards the notion, that a person should be able to receive unemployment benefit for 10 or 12 months at a time unless there is a very good reason indeed why they should not be in work?

Mr. Dean

It is for that reason that we feel that unemployment benefit is appropriate for what it has always been intended—primarily for loss of earnings by people moving from one job to another.

Mrs. Williams

Will the hon. Gentleman tell the hon. Member for Birmingham, Edgbaston (Mrs. Knight) that since gentlemen and ladies pay insurance in order to be covered for unemployment it would be incorrect to take the attitude she is advocating?

Mr. Dean

There is nothing incorrect in what my hon. Friend the Member for Birmingham, Edgbaston (Mrs. Knight) said. She is quite right to be concerned to ensure that the money which is paid by employees and their employers into this scheme is used in the best possible way.

Mr. Pentland

In what part of the country are the 126,000 people?

Mr. Dean

I cannot give the hon. Gentleman that information without notice. If he will put down a Question, I will try to answer it.

28. Mr. Hiley

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will introduce legislation to repeal Section 49(1) of the National Insurance Act, 1965 which precludes the payment of unemployment benefit for periods spent abroad in search of eventual employment in this country.

Sir K. Joseph

No, Sir.

Mr. Hiley

Would not my right hon. Friend agree that in future there will be a greater likelihood of men going abroad in search of employment? Does he not agree that it fits more closely with Conservative principles for men who have the guts and enterprise to go abroad to look for a job to be encouraged rather than discouraged from doing so?

Sir K. Joseph

I agree that we want to encourage initiative, but my hon. Friend must realise that availability for employment is the essence of the unemployment benefit, and when a person is abroad it is hard to maintain that he is really available for employment.

Mr. Hiley

On a point of order, Mr. Speaker. In view of the unsatisfactory nature of that reply, I shall be forced to raise the matter on the Adjournment.