§ Mr. TURNERasked the Minister of Labour if he is aware that a number of men have been refused employment in certain textile mills because they are 60 years of age or over; and whether he will consider the desirability of amending the Unemployment Act so as to cover in a more generous fashion this class of men or women until they become of pensionable age?
§ Mr. SHAWAs my hon. Friend is no doubt aware, persons over 60 are entitled to receive benefit under the existing Unemployment Insurance Acts on the same conditions as other persons, except that the receipt of an old age pension under the Old Age Pension Acts, 1908–1919, is a disqualification for the receipt of unemployment benefit. I am not able to hold out any hope that preferential terms can be given to elderly insured persons.