§ Sir W. DAVISONasked the Minister of Labour for what reason an employer is liable to pay his share of the contributions under the Unemployment Insurance Act in the case of persons in receipt of a pension or income of the annual value of at least £26, although such persons will not be entitled to receive unemployment benefit and are not themselves required to make any contribution?
§ Dr. MACNAMARAThe provision in the Unemployment Insurance Act, 1920, requiring the employer's share of the ordinary contribution to be paid in respect of an exempt person follows the precedent established by the National Health Insurance Acts. The State also pays a contribution. Exempt persons are not entitled to unemployment benefit so long as they remain exempt. If, however, in any particular case the exemption lapses and the person concerned becomes entitled to benefit in the ordinary way, the contributions paid in respect of him as an exempt person becomes available for increasing the amount of benefit to which he would otherwise have been entitled.
§ Mr. F. ROBERTSasked the Minister of Labour whether the decision that persons to be insured under the new Employment Act will not be entitled to benefit until they have been in employment for four weeks will affect many people who are at present out of employment, including ex-service men; and whether he will consider the advisability of entitling a person to benefit provided his card is stamped for the required number of weeks?
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§ Dr. MACNAMARAI would refer my hon. Friend to the answer given to a similar question by the hon. Member for Middlesbro' West (Mr. T. Thomson) on the 27th October, a copy of which I am sending him. With reference to the case of ex-service men, I would add that it has since been announced that ex-service men and women and merchant seamen will be entitled to Out-of-Work Donation under a further extension which will operate to 31st March next.