WIDOWS’ PENSIONS

Dominion, Volume 23, Issue 34, 4 November 1929, Page 11

WIDOWS’ PENSIONS

EXPENDITURE INVOLVED IN NEW BRITISH BILL INCREASING COST OF SOCIAL SERVICES (Rec. November 2, 5.5 p.m.) London, November 1. In the House of Commons Miss Susan Lawrence (Under-Secretary of Health) introduced the financial resolution for the Widows’ and Orphans’ and Old Age Contributory Pensions Bill, providing for £9,000,000 to March 31, 1931, and an additional £1,000,000 each succeeding year for twelve years, and thereafter for £21,000,000 yearly. Sir Kingsley-Wood (C.) said the resolution committed them to an expenditure of £100,000,000 during the next sixteen years. The social services of Britain were already costing 78s. per capita, compared with 325. in Germany, 16s. in France, 3s. in Italy, and 4s. in Belgium. This was one of the reasons why Britain was unable to keep down her costs sufficiently to regain the markets she had lost. Mr. A. Greenwood (Lab.) said he was not afraid of the rising cost of social services while the national savings amounted to £450,000,000 per year. The assets of the nation within the past five years had increased by £2,250,000.000. The resolution was carried.