UNEMPLOYMENT

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XVII, 22 November 1927, Page 5

UNEMPLOYMENT

INSURANCE BILL COMMITTEE'S RECOMMENDATIONS. ALTERATIONS TO BENEFIT SCHEME. [British Official Wireless.) (Received 22, 12.30 p.m.) Rugby, Nov. 21. The Unemployment Insurance Bill, based on the recommendations of the committee which, under Lord Blanesborough, recently investigated the whole subject, with particular reference to the finance of the scheme, now embracing 12,000,000 work people, will be considered in the House of Commons to-day, and tomorrow and Wednesday have also been set aside for discussing the measure.

An amendment has now been advanced by the Government whereby further alterations to the benefit are put forward. Under the existing scheme there is a dividing line at the age of 18 between adults and boys and girls. An unemployed man receives 18/ -a week and an adult woman 15/-, while a boy between 16 and 18 gets 7/6 and a girl between 16 and 18 years 6/-. Under the present bill it is proposed that a man shall receive 17/- and a woman 15/-, a young man from 18 to 21 years 10/and a young woman from 18 to 21 years 8/- ,and a boy from 16 to 18 years 6/-, and a girl from 16 to 18 years 5/-. A CONCESSION. The Government amendment is a concession that the benefit should be graduated to a person over 18 and under 21 years, and it provides that the benefit to the unemployed should advance to 10/- at 18 years, to 12/at 19 years and to 14/- at 20 years. Women’s benefits advance proportionately. Apart from the point of benefits and contributions it is a probability that much of the interest during the debate on the Bill will be centred in an unofficial Conservative amendment for providing better arrangements for the vocational training of young unemployed persons.