§ Sir H. CAUTLEYasked the Minister of Labour what decision has been reached as to the question of the period for which an insured man who is now unemployed can take such work at agricultural employment without losing his right to unemployment pay in respect of his own trade as soon as his agricultural work ceases?
§ Miss BONDFIELDA claimant who satisfies the first statutory condition does not become ineligible for benefit owing to having previously been in uninsured work such as agriculture. To satisfy this condition ht must have paid 30 contributions in a past period which is normally two years, but may be extended up to a maximum of four years by including periods of sickness or of employment in uninsured work. The effect of this is that a person who has paid 30 contributions in the past two years may thereafter be employed in agriculture or any other uninsured work for as long as two years and still continue to satisfy the first statutory condition. Claimants who do not satisfy the first statutory condition have to show that they are normally engaged in insurable employment and will normally seek their livelihood by means of insurable employment. The satisfaction of this condition turns mainly on the individual claimant's past record of employment, and on whether the circumstances in which the claimant took agricultural work indicate that he definitely abandoned insurable employment; and no general rule as to the duration of the agricultural work can be laid down. I am sending the hon. Member copies of a number of umpire's decisions on the subject.