§ Sir J. Haslamasked the Minister of Labour if he has any statistics to record the number of persons who have recently passed out of national Unemployment Insurance or who are on the verge of doing so, through receiving war bonus or other increases in their wages, and yet have paid into the fund all their working lives?
§ Mr. E. BrownI regret that statistics giving the information desired are not available. I should perhaps point out that when persons previously insured against unemployment cease to pay contributions on account of the remuneration limit they retain their benefit rights so long as they satisfy the condition of having paid 30 contributions in the past two years.
§ Sir J. Haslamasked the Minister of Labour (1) when he proposes to increase the limit of income of insured workers to £400 per annum as recommended in the majority report of the Unemployment Insurance Statutory Committee, or at least to £300, as recommended in the minority report;
(2) whether, pending legislation, as recommended by the Unemployment Insurance Statutory Committee to increase the present salary limit of £250 for compulsory insurance, he will in the meantime retain in insurance those who have been paying into the fund for, say, five years, as a minimum, but who now find themselves liable to expulsion from the fund?
§ Mr. E. BrownI regret that I cannot at present add anything to previous replies on this subject. The alternative suggestion made by my hon. Friend is one that would itself require legislation before it could be put into effect.