NATIONAL INSURANCE (SEASONAL WORKERS) AMENDMENT REGULATIONS, 1952 (Hansard, 30 July 1952)

§ THE EARL OF SELKIRK

My Lords, it is inherent in any National Insurance scheme that certain difficulties arise in regard to seasonal workers, and the first regulations in respect of these matters were made some twenty years ago. When the National Insurance Act was passed in 1946, special powers were taken in order to deal with this particular class of workers. Following the publication of the report of the National Insurance Advisory Committee in 1948, regulations were introduced in July, 1950. After the first year's operation these regulations were examined again by the same Advisory Committee, and as a result of their recommendation certain further amendments are now being proposed. The examination of this Committee showed that there was too great a rigidity in the operation of the rules and that certain anomalies had arisen. For instance, some persons engaged in seasonal work were outside the scope of the regulations, although they normally do less work in the year than others to whom the regulations apply. Accordingly, as a matter of urgency, these Regulations redefine the expressions "off-season" and "seasonal worker" so as to restore the position originally intended. "Seasonal worker" is further defined as meaning a person in a seasonal industry which is seasonal because of factors inherent in the nature and conditions of the industry. This excludes, of course, such factors as adverse economic circumstances. The National Insurance Advisory Committee have seen these draft Regulations and approve of them. I beg to move.