§ Mr. McQuarrieasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will give the reason why the crewmen of the fishing vessels, which are at present not operating, have been refused unemployment benefit; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mrs. ChalkerI am advised by the Department of Employment that claims for unemployment benefit from some 700 to 800 share fishermen have been received, since 2 February, at the unemployment benefit offices at Peterhead and Fraserburgh. As my hon. Friend knows, the Social Security (Mariners' Benefits) Regulations 1975 provide for special conditions to be satisfied before unemployment benefit can be paid to a share fisherman. One condition is that the fisherman must show that, for one of a number of specified reasons, there was no work available to him on or in connection with the fishing boat of which he is a member of the crew. I understand that in the majority of those claims the reasons advanced were either that the weather was too bad for fishing or that the boat was undergoing repairs or maintenance. Inquiries are being made by the unemployment benefit offices to obtain the information required by the independent statutory authorities, which decide all claims for unemployment benefit. As soom as such inquiries are completed, the cases are being passed to the statutory authorities for adjudication.