§ Mr. McQuarrieasked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) why deck hands of the vessels in the ports of Peterhead and Fraserburgh who are now deemed to be unemployed are being refused supplementary benefit from the offices of his Department in these towns; and if he will make a statement;
(2) if, in view of the fact that 700 to 800 share fishermen have made applications for unemployment benefit due to the close down of the offshore sector of the fishing industry, emergency action will be taken by the offices of his Department at Peterhead and Fraserburgh to alleviate the serious financial position of these applicants and their families; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mrs. ChalkerUnder regulation 8(l)(b) of the Supplementary Benefit (Conditions of Entitlement) Regulations 1980, a share fisherman, within the meaning of the Social Security (Mariners' Benefits) Regulations 1975, who fails to satisfy the special conditions for receipt of unemployment benefit—including that he did not neglect to avail himself of a reasonable opportunity of employment as a fisherman—is not to be treated as available for employment for the purposes of the Supplementary Benefits Act. Consequently he is not entitled to receive supplementary benefit.
In the case of the share fisherman in the ports of Peterhead and Fraserburgh, I have already explained to my hon. Friend in my reply on 12 February—[Vol. 998, c. 416-17]—that information to enable the cases to be adjudicated was being collected and I am awaiting the decision of the statutory authorities. Meanwhile, I understand that approximately 70 claims for supplementary benefit have been made by the men concerned. It is possible in certain circumstances to consider emergency 198W payments under the Supplementary Benefit (Urgent Cases) Regulations 1980, where this is the only means of avoiding serious hardship. I am informed that about 20 such payments have been made so far.
§ Mr. McQuarrieasked the Secretary of State for Social Services, pursuant to the reply given to the hon. Member for Aberdeenshire, East, Official Report, c. 416-17, 13 February 1981, if his Department will place this matter in a special priority class in view of the fact that a number of the 700 to 800 applicants have had no real income since December 1980.
§ Mrs. ChalkerThere is little I can add to my reply of 12 February.—[Vol. 998 c.416-17]. I am advised by the Department of Employment that further representations have been made to the effect that fishing is not taking place because it is uneconomic to do so, and also that deck hands from a number of boats either satisfy, or are not required to satisfy, the conditions of the Social Security (Mariners' Benefits) Regulations 1975 because they have been paid off and are, therefore, not now employed on the boats. These representations were put without delay to the independent statutory authorities who have to consider the various aspects in order to determine benefit claims. They are well aware of the urgency of the situation.
§ Mr. McQuarrieasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will investigate as a matter of urgency the circumstances in which deck hands from vessels in the ports of Peterhead and Fraserburgh whose employment has terminated in circumstances covered by the Social Security (Mariners' Benefit) Regulations 1975 are not being allowed to register for other forms of work at the unemployment offices of his Department in these two towns.
§ Mrs. ChalkerRegistration for work takes place in offices of the Manpower Services Commission, who advises me that the men concerned can register for other forms of work at the employment offices in Peterhead and Fraserburgh if they so wish. Some have already done so, and the Manpower Services Commission has no record of any being refused registration. Registration for other work would not automatically stop them from being classed as share fishermen, for purposes of benefit entitlement; their status would be for the statutory adjudicating authorities to determine in the light of all the circumstances.