§ Mr Lawrenceasked the Secretary of State for Social Services, further to his statement to the House on 4th August, if he will list the other countries with which the United Kingdom has reciprocal agreements similar to that with Spain.
§ Mr. EnnalsNo other bilateral reciprocal agreement is in precisely the same terms as that with Spain. Agreements enabling insurance, or in some cases residence, in one country to be taken into account, subject to certain conditions, when a claim is made in the other have been made by the United Kingdom with the following countries: Australia, Austria, Bermuda, Canada, Cyprus, Finland, Guernsey, Isle of Man, Israel, Jamaica, Jersey, Malta, New Zealand, Norway, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, Yugoslavia and all EEC Countries including Gibraltar.
Provisions relating to unemployment benefit for persons who go abroad to work are contained in the bilateral reciprocal agreements with Australia, Austria, 1174W Canada, Cyprus, Finland, Guernsey, Isle of Man, Malta, New Zealand, Norway, Spain, Sweden and Yugoslavia.
The unemployment benefit provisions or agreements with EEC countries have been superseded by the EEC Social Security Regulations.
§ Mr. Lawrenceasked the Secretary of State for Social Services, further to his statement to the House on 4th August, what steps he has taken and when to ensure that no unemployment benefits are payable to persons holidaying in countries with which reciprocal arrangements exist.
§ Mr. EnnalsThe Social Security Act 1975 provides that persons absent from this country are disqualified for benefit, although exceptions can be made. It has never been the intention that any bilateral reciprocal agreement should lift this disqualification for unemployment benefit for any person absent from this country for any reason. Only the EEC Social Security Regulations are designed to allow unemployment benefit to be paid in other Member States, and then only for limited periods in accordance with strict conditions and under the supervision of the responsible authorities of the country concerned, with which the unemployed person has to register as seeking employment. The possibility now arises in the case of Spain following the National Insurance Commissioner's recent decision and we are currently in touch with the Spanish Government to seek an amendment of the Convention on Social Security. By 19th July my Department had decided on the need for such an amendment, and an approach to the Spanish authorities was made early on 4th August.
§ Mr. Lawrenceasked the Secretary of State for Social Services further to his statement to the House on 4th August, if an unemployed person who is able to present himself for work the morning after notification of the existence of a job would be considered available for work within the terms of the international agreements on unemployment benefit.
§ Mr. EnnalsThis is entirely a matter for the independent statutory authorities whose responsibility it is to adjudicate on claims.
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§ Mr. Moateasked the Secretary of State for Social Services following his statement regarding entitlement to unemployment benefit of persons holidaying abroad, if he can give an assurance that no such payments have been made.
§ Mr. EnnalsI have now been able to trace only one such case—allowed by an insurance officer. The National Insurance Commissioner has disallowed the only claim of this kind so far brought before him.