Unemployment Benefit (Short-time Working)

HC Deb 15 May 1956 vol 552 cc167-8W

85. Mr. Osborne

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance to move to appoint a Select Committee to examine the whole system of unemployment pay where inequalities and anomalies have arisen owing to recent decisions enabling some workers earnings from £12 to £15 a week for three or four days' work to draw benefits from a fund which is partially maintained by agricultural workers with a basic wage of £7 for a five-and-a-half-day week.

Miss Edith Pitt

The National Insurance Advisory Committee recently examined the question of unemployment

DECISIONS OF MEDICAL APPEAL TRIBUNAL, BIRMINGHAM 1954 and 1955
	Appeals by claimants	References by direction of the Minister
	Appeals	Favourable to claimant	No. change or un-favourable to claimant	References	Favourable to claimant	No change or un-favourable to claimant
	1954
TOTAL	993	497	496	350	99	251
Accident	925	465	460	323	92	231
Prescribed disease	68	32	36	27	7	20
	1955
TOTAL	1,017	459	558	488	128	360
Accident	952	436	516	440	120	320
Prescribed disease	65	23	42	48	8	40

benefit for short-time working, and 1 have sent my hon. Friend a copy of their Report. I doubt whether a Select Committee would be an appropriate method of giving further examination to the problem.