§ Sir THOMAS ESMONDEasked the Comptroller of the Household, as representing the National Health Insurance 'Commissioners if certain small manufacturers in rural districts in Ireland, which were specially excluded from the unemployment part of the National Insurance Act, are now held liable for unemployment contributions as from September, 1916; and, if so, whether, in view of the fact that these small industries were deliberately excluded for good reasons from the unemployment clauses of the original Act by arrangement with the then Government and that the employés in these small industries can obtain no benefit from the unemployment provisions of the Act, the Government will take immediate steps to fulfil the undertaking given by their predecessors in this matter?
§ Mr. G. ROBERTSI have been asked to reply to this question. Neither in the National Insurance Act, 1911, as regards Unemployment Insurance, nor in the Act of 1916 extending unemployment insurance to fresh trades, are there any provisions which specifically relate to trade in Ireland as distinct from other parts of the country. If the hon. Baronet would supply me with specific cases to which he refers I should be glad to inform him more fully as to the position.