§ Mr. Alan Williamsasked the Secretary of State for Employment what were the reasons for his Department's decision to appeal against the tribunal finding in favour of the dismissed casual workers from the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Centre, Swansea, who had been refused unemployment benefit and a certificate from his Department which would have enabled them to qualify for social security.
§ Mr. WaddingtonMy Department has not made and cannot make any such decision. Questions of entitlement to unemployment benefit are determined by the independent adjudicating authorities appointed under the Social Security Act and the independence of the appointment precludes intervention in their decisions by the Department. The Act gives the insurance officer a right of appeal against a decision of the local tribunal, and I understand that the chief insurance officer is considering whether to apply for leave to appeal to the Social Security Commissioner against this tribunal decision, but has yet to reach a conclusion.