§ Mr. Clemitsonasked the Secretary of State for Employment what steps his Department and the Manpower Services Commission are taking to make clear the difference between the functions of local insurance tribunals and of industrial tribunals to those who wish both to appeal 401W against a suspension of unemployment benefit and to make an application in respect of unfair dismissal consequent upon their dismissal from employment.
§ Mr. GoldingAll the unemployment benefit offices of the Department of Employment and the job centres and employment offices of the Manpower Services Commission have a reception or inquiry point where leaflets and general guidance are available on aspects of unfair dismissal, and where members of the public can obtain an application form for appeal against alleged unfair dismissal to an industrial tribunal under the Employment Protection (Consolidated) Act 1978.
The Social Security Act 1975 requires that claimants who have been disqualified from receiving unemployment benefit must be given written notification of the disqualification and of their rights of appeal, in the first place to a local national insurance tribunal, except where benefit has been disallowed because of a deficient national insurance contribution record, in which case appeal is to the Secretary of State for Social Services.
My Department is conscious of the need to provide information to the public on the rights of individuals under the legislation for whose administration it is responsible, and keeps constantly under review the provisions made to this end, with a view to improving them where deficiencies are revealed.