§ Sir W. SUTHERLANDasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether, in the event of a scheme being prepared to co-ordinate the national health, unemployment and old age pension schemes, he will have the necessary steps taken to ensure that the benefits of such scheme will be available to Scottish fishermen?
Mr. GRAHAMSo far as the old age pensions scheme is concerned, there is nothing to prevent a Scottish fisherman from obtaining a pension if he fulfils the conditions of the Old Age Pensions Acts and Regulations. Certain classes of fishermen in Scotland already come within the provisions of the National Health Insurance and Unemployment Insurance Acts, and I am not aware of any suggestion that the position in this respect should be altered in the event of legislation for the purpose of co-ordinating the national health insurance, unemployment insurance and old age pension schemes. The question whether the classes of Scottish fishermen who are not at present held to be insurable under the National Health and Unemployment Insurance Acts should be brought within the scope of those Acts raises important issues which are distinct from the question of legislation for the purpose of co-ordinating the existing scheme. I cannot at the present time say more than that the matter will be considered in connection with any such legislation.