HC Deb 08 November 1983 vol 48 cc73-4W
56. Mr. Wigley

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will introduce regulations to allow seasonal workers to be entitled to unemployment benefit.

Dr. Boyson

A seasonal worker is not disallowed from receiving unemployment benefit during his off season, if he can satisfy the condition that he has had, or can reasonably expect to obtain, a substantial amount of employment during that off season. That condition is designed to ensure that unemployment benefit is not paid to those seasonal workers who are not in the field of employment during their off seasons. We have no proposals for altering these arrangements. I would add that these regulations do not apply to supplementary benefit; an unemployed seasonal worker can receive that benefit if otherwise eligible, though there are special rules about income earned during the on season.