§ Mr. RENDALLasked the Secretary to the Treasury what is the position of an outworker in regard to unemployment arrears who works under the unit system in a trader where the unit fixed is 8s. 9d. and the employer pays the whole insurance contribution, namely, 5d.; and, having regard to the fact that many outworkers never get enough work to complete a unit in one 779W week and their cards are therefore bound to have many stamps missing at the end of each quarter, must they, if they wish not to be in arrears; fix the necessary stamps at their own charge or are they under the National Insurance Act, 1913, relieved from paying arrears because such arrears would have been paid by their employers had they had full employment?
Mr. BENNIn this case arrears would be payable at the rate of 1d. for each contribution in arrear. Under the Act of 1911 the ordinary contribution in this case is 6d., of which 5d. is payable by the employer and 1d. by the State. Under the Act of 1913, the employer's share is excused where the worker pays that part which is payable otherwise than by the employer. The point raised in the latter part of the question will be considered in connection with the Regulations to be made under Section 7 of the Act of 1913.