§ Mrs. Shirley Williamsasked the Secretary of State for Social Services to what extent the Supplementary Benefit Commission will have discretion to modify the deduction of 40 per cent. proposed in industrial misconduct cases under Clause 1(2) of the Social Security Bill.
§ Mr. DeanThe Supplementary Benefits Commission will be required to apply the 40 per cent. reduction in the appropriate adult scale rate under the provisions of the Bill in all cases where a person is, or would be, disqualified for receiving unemployment benefit as a result of industrial misconduct and the like. The Commission will, however, still have power, under paragraph 4(1)(a) of Schedule 2 to the Act (adjustments for exceptional circumstances) to increase the resultant award of benefit if, in their view, unreasonable hardship would arise if no such adjustment were made.