§ Mr. G. M. Thomsonasked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance if he will introduce amending regulations to allow workers on a five-day week to receive unemployment benefit for short-time working at the rate of a daily payment of one-fifth of the full rate of benefit.
§ Mr. N. MacphersonNo. Such a change would require legislation. It would involve having different daily rates of both unemployment and sickness benefit for different claimants according to their previous employment and would seriously complicate the payment of both benefits.
§ Mr. G. M. Thomsonasked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance how many workers receiving unemployment benefit in respect of short-time working during the most recent twelve-month period were 5-day-week workers; and what proportion they were of the total number of workers receiving unemployment benefit.
§ Mr. N. MacphersonI regret that this information is not available.