WIDOWS’ PENSIONS

Dominion, Volume 23, Issue 33, 2 November 1929, Page 11

WIDOWS’ PENSIONS

BRITISH LABOUR PARTY’S MEASURE “A SHOWER OF GOLD FROM THE STATE” ’ CONSERVATIVE MEMBERS’ CRITICISMS (United Press Association.— By Electric 'Telegraph.—Copyright.) (Received November 1, 8.30 p.m.) London, October 31. In the House of Commons the Minister of Health, Mr. Arthur Greenwood, ' ' moving the second reading of the Widows, Orphans, Old Age, and Contributory Pensions Bill, said it was merely an instalment of a larger policy. A Cabinet committee was surveying the complex problem. The present Bill, the Minister said, would remove several hardships and would provide pensions for altogether half a million widows. Mr. Neville Chamberlain had attacked the measure because he said it would cost eight millions sterling per year, but if they had been asked for eight millions for battleships the Conservatives would have given it.. Mr. Neville Chamberlain (Minister of Health in the Baldwin Government) said that during the election Mr. Henderson had promised pensions to every widow in the land and an increase of old age pensions to £l, though he must have known that his promise could not be kept. Labour members were beginning to think about finance, but when they came to raise money they would learn that there was no bottomless pit about finance. Mr. D. W. Gunston (0.), said this was not a Pensions Bill, but was a shower of gold from the State. He did not see why spinsters should not share in the shower of gold.

Sir Kingsley Wood (C.), said tne Bill was a betrayal of all the election pledges given by the Labour Party. It was a most unjust measure.

Miss Susan Lawrence (Under-Secre-tary of Health), summing up on behalf of the Government, said that no one had any right to expect that this Bill would carry out all the Labour Party's pledges. It was merely an instalment, but it doubled the number of widows’ pensions. The Bill was read a second time without division.

[The new Bill extends the provisions of the Act passed by the Conservative Government in 1925 giving pensions to the widows of men who come under the State Health Insurance. The Bill has a retrospective provision granting pensions to widows aged 55 to 70 of men of the insured class who died before the Act of 1925 came into force or were over 70 on that date, and therefore no longer came under Health Insurance. At the age of 70 widows are to reecive old age pensions without any disqualificatin or reduction for means, residence, or nationality, as hitherto. Widows under 55 who receive pensions for children are to draw them until the youngest child is 16, instead of 14J, as now. It is estimated that, half a million more widows than hitherto will receive 10s. a week under the new Bill.]