§ Mr. GALLACHERasked the Minister of Labour whether he is aware that men are being deprived of benefit by the Unemployment Assistance Board in Barrow-in-Furness on the ground that they have brothers earning sufficient to render them liable to pay Income Tax, and that nevertheless the brothers are refused Income Tax rebate in respect of those they are forced to maintain; and whether he will take steps to remedy this anomaly?
§ Lieut.-Colonel MUIRHEADAs I explained in answer to the hon. Member for Central Edinburgh (Mr. Guy) on 29th June last, provision is already made for deducting Income Tax in calculating net earnings. Where it is claimed that Income Tax paid by a wage-earning member of an applicant's household should be deducted from the amount of wages taken into account, the amount so paid is allowed by the Unemployment Assistance Board as a special expense by an appropriate reduction of the amount of wages taken into account.
§ Mr. GALLACHERasked the Minister of Labour whether he is aware that there are numerous cases of men whose unemployment benefit is suspended while claims of the statutory authorities against the claimant are being investigated being refused retrospective payments after their claims have been upheld; and whether, as this causes hardship, he will cause it to be understood that retrospective payments must be made in all cases where claims are upheld after being challenged by the statutory authorities?
§ Lieut.-Colonel MUIRHEADNo, Sir, I am not aware of such cases. The Unemployment Insurance Acts provide in effect that in cases of the kind described a person claiming unemployment benefit shall not be worse off because the decision of his claim has been delayed. If the hon. Member will send particulars of any cases which he has in mind I shall be glad to have inquiry made.