EMPLOYMENT SCHEMES

Dominion, Volume 23, Issue 51, 23 November 1929, Page 11

EMPLOYMENT SCHEMES

PROGRESS IN BRITAIN EXPENDITURE SANCTIONED STATEMENT BY MR THOMAS Mr. J. H. Thomas says that expenditure to the amount of between £40,000,000 and £50,000,000 lias been sanctioned on employment schemes. . A Bill is in course of preparation to enable local authorities to dispense with certain legal formalities in connection with their plans for providing employment. (British Official Wireless.) (Rec. November 22, 5.5 p.m-) ■ Rugby, November 21. The law officers of the Crown are preparing a Bill designed to enab e local authorities to dispense with certain legal formalities in undertaking their employment plans. Wh en tne Bill becomes law these authorities wiu be relieved of the necessity of promoting special Acts of Parliament before certain works may be undertaken. The Lord Privy Seal, Mr. J. H. Thomas, who in a statement to the Press makes this announcement, aciueu that progress with the employment schemes is being made in many directions, and expenditure to the amount of between £40,000,000 and £00,000,000 now has been sanctioned. He again expressed his conviction that expansion of the export trade lay at the root of the matter, and in this connection he was discussing various questions with the motor trade. He said he was conferring with a view to finding out by what means other than the horse-power tax the same revenue could be secured with more advantage to the motor industry. Newspapers interpret this as an indication of the intention to abolish the horse-power tax, which encourages the production of small-engined cars unsuitable for export, and replacing it with increased petrol taxation.

UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE AMENDING MEASURE LLOYD GEORGE ON COST TO THE TAXPAYER Rugby, November 21. Miss Bondfield, Minister of Labour, moved in the House of Commons the second reading of the Unemployment Insurance Bill. She said that the object of the measure was to remedy the outstanding defects of the present system. The most important change In the Bill was the abolition of the condition placing on the claimant for unemployment pay the onus that he was seeking work, and on the submission of a new claim placing on the labour exchange the onus of showing not only that employment of a suitable kind for the claimant was available, but that he could reasonably have been expected to know of it.

Miss Bondfleld contended that the old condition involved a psychological test which it was administratively impossible to maintain with the least degree of equity, particularly in depressed areas. Another important proposal of the Bill was contained in the clause lowering the minimum age for insurance. The Government had announced its intention of raising the school-leaving age to 15. That step would be taken not later than 1931. The Bill proposed that when it was taken, the minimum age for insurance would be reduced from the present age of 16 to the school-leaving age. Mr. Lloyd George, the Liberal Leader, strongly criticised the Bill. It was, he said, difficult to say “No” to a proposal giving 2/- extra to the wives of unemployed. But his principal misgivings were 'aS to the tremendous expenditure which was being run up as the result of the Bill as a whole, expenditure which this country could not pay. We had already since the general election added a burden of £19,000,000 to next year’s Budget. With regard to the extension of unemployment pay to boys of 15. Mr. Lloyd George said that they ought ro be putting the whole of their efforts into seeing that young men of 17, 18, and 19, and even beyond that age, had got something to do. He appealed to the Government to make an effort to find work for the younger men, instead of bringing in doles to increase their demoralisation. (United Press .Association.— By Electric Telecraph.—Cou.vrlKlit.) (Rec. November 22, 11.15 p.m.) Conservative Amendment. London, November 22. Major Elliot moved a Conservative amendment rejecting the Bill on the grounds that an unfair burden was cast on juvenile insureds, ■ the vague and unsatisfactory nature of the tests and the grave additional burden cast on the .Exchequer. He said the whole Bill was based on the expectation that there would be 11 million unemployed for three years, despite Mr. Thomas’s efforts. The Government had grafted a non-contributory on to tlie contributory scheme, without facing the inevitable consequences of making a grant of eight millions per year from the Exchequer, irrespective of the State Insurance Fund. Mr. J. Maxton (Lab.) caused several breezes during his speech, particularly from Mr. Lloyd George, whom Mr. Maxton taunted with suggesting during the election that two hundred millions sterling should be taken out of industry and put into roads. Mr. Maxton said that when Mr. Snowden offered 54 per cent, the people came and slapped hundreds of millions on the Treasury counter. His supporters would rather invest two hundred millions in human beings than in roads or City of London financiers. Work was tlie only justification of citizenship, but as nobody was able to provide work the unemployed should not be asked to shoulder the burden of our economic mistakes. Tlie debate was adjourned.

WORK OF PARLIAMENT (British Official Wireless.) Rugby, November 21. The Prime Minister, answering questions, stated that he intended to make a statement on the policy of the Government regarding East Africa and the House -would have an opportunity of debating the Government’s proposals, but he could not promise that these proposals would be laid before the House before Christmas. The Prime Minister also stated that it would not be possible to submit the signature of the Optional Clause and the Egyptian Treaty to the House before Christmas. The Miners Bill would be proceeded with as soon as possible.