§ The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Social Security (Lord Skelmersdale) rose to move, That the draft regulations laid before the House on 21st February be approved [10th Report from the Joint Committee].
§ The noble Lord said: My Lords, I am very sorry that due to serious illness we shall not be hearing from the noble Lord, Lord Banks. The House will, like myself, miss his great experience and wisdom in social security matters this evening and will be as glad as I was to hear that his distressing condition has improved somewhat.
§ The House will know that share fishermen are special in that unlike self-employed people generally they are by longstanding tradition able to receive unemployment benefit. They earn their entitlement to this additional benefit cover by paying a special enhanced rate of contribution. The net effect of this order, as shown in paragraph 2, is to reduce the element of their national insurance charge by 75 pence a week. That is the actuarially-assessed amount attributable by virtue of the recent falls in unemployment. At this late hour need I say no more than that I commend the regulations to the House. I beg to move.
§ Moved, That the draft regulations laid before the House on 21st February be approved [10th Report from the Joint Committee]—(Lord Skelmersdale.)
§ Baroness Turner of CamdenMy Lords, we from these Benches would like to express our concern as regards the illness of the noble Lord, Lord Banks, and our sorrow that he is not with us tonight. I understand that he has a serious illness and we very much hope that he makes a rapid recovery.
As regards the regulations, I thank the noble Lord for his explanation. In view of the lateness of the hour and the content of the measure, we have no objections to offer.
§ Lord RochesterMy Lords, perhaps I may say on behalf of those of us on these Benches how grateful I am for the sympathetic remarks that have been made by the noble Lord, Lord Skelmersdale, and the noble Baroness, Lady Turner, concerning my noble friend Lord Banks. As the noble Lord said, there has been some slight improvement in my noble friend's condition but he is still seriously ill. I know that the whole House will join with me in expressing the hope that he will soon recover further. I know that he has earned the respect of noble Lords on all sides of the House. Perhaps it is not too much to say that his knowledge of social security matters is unrivalled among us. I shall gladly see that the kind remarks are passed on to him. I am sure that he wi11 be greatly cheered by them.
As regards the regulations themselves, I join in thanking the noble Lord for the clear way in which he has explained them. On behalf of my noble friends I am happy to approve them.
§ Lord SkelmersdaleMy Lords, I am grateful for the comity of the whole House in all the remarks I made a few seconds ago.
§ On Question, Motion agreed to.