§ Mr. Ovendenasked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will now introduce legislation to amend the definition of trade dispute so as to ensure that those employees involved in disputes over industrial safety and whose cases are upheld by the Health and Safety Executive are not denied unemployment benefit.
§ Mr. BoothResponsibility for the definition lies with my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Social Services. However, I understand that the practice of the adjudicating authorities is to pay unemployment benefit in disputes where the employer is found by the appropriate determining authority to be in breach of a statutory health and safety requirement. Therefore, it is not necessary to amend the definition of"trade dispute"for the purpose referred to by my hon. Friend.