6. Mr. R. C. Mitchellasked the Secretary of State for Employment what consultations he has had with management and trade unions concerning those Ford workers at Southampton and elsewhere who were laid off due to an industrial dispute in which they were not involved and who have been refused unemployment benefit.
§ Mr. John FraserOfficials of my Department have been in close consultation with the Ford management and trade unions about claims to unemployment benefit made by Ford workers at Southampton and elsewhere.
Mr. MitchellIs my hon. Friend aware that the Ford workers in Southampton decided not to join the recent strike and carried on working but that when the factory was closed, through no fault of theirs, they were refused unemployment benefit? Is he further aware that the reaction of the men is that, if something like this happens in future and they are to be penalised in any case, they might just as well join the strike? Is there not need for a change in legislation?
§ Mr. FraserI assure my hon. Friend that there is no intention to penalise workers at the Southampton plant. The decision on whether they are entitled to unemployment benefit is a matter for the independent adjudicating authorities and not for me. It would be helpful if trade unions in Southampton were able quickly to agree a test case procedure to go before the insurance officer. In that way we might get the matter settled rather more quickly than has happened hitherto.
§ Miss RichardsonI hope my hon. Friend will agree that the iniquitous rules on unemployment benefit need to be changed. Will the proposed legislation enable manifest anomalies in existing law to be looked at and to be changed in line with the proposals made by the Donovan Commission?
§ Mr. FraserThese matters will be kept under review, but I cannot promise changes on the lines suggested by my hon. Friend. I repeat that the matter will be kept under review.