§ Mr. KIRKWOODasked the. Minister of Labour the number of men that have been refused benefit under the Unemployment Insurance Act. since 19th April on the ground that they have not complied with the provisions laid down for the transitional period, more particularly engineers, many of whom, owing to the depressed state of the industry, have been unemployed for more than two years; and what steps are being taken to make these engineers eligible for unemployment insurance benefit?
§ Mr. BETTERTONI think the hon. Member is under a misapprehension. Statistics are not yet available, but there is no reason to think that any appreciable number of men who would have satisfied the contribution test previously applied fail to satisfy the transitional requirement under the new Act, which is practically the same.