FIGURES QUOTED

Evening Post, Volume CXXVIII, Issue 30, 4 August 1939, Page 5

FIGURES QUOTED

SOCIAL SECURITY COST

Predictions made by Opposition members during the passing of the Social Security legislation as to the probable cost of the scheme were referred to by Mr. Nordmeyer.

Opposition members had been at pains to point out the huge expenditure involved in the scheme and the immense strain that itv would be on the resources of the country, he said. It had been suggested, in fact, that the cost would be so stupendous that the scheme would break down under its own weight, and not a few of the Opposition's supporters had publicly made the statement that it was merely a hoax, that the Government had no intention of bringing the scheme into operation.

Notwithstanding that the > estimates of payments had been made' on a very high level for the present year, estimates which he thought would certainly not be reached' before the end

of next March, the sum of £12,000,000 would be spent on Social Security during the current year. If medical benefits had come into operation on April 1 the cost would have been increased by £2,000,000, bringing the total up to £14,000,000. To this had to be added the cost of war pensions, which was estimated „, at another £2,000,000. On that basis it was clear that the total cost of Social Security and war pensions would be £16,000,000. Mr. Nordmeyer said that the tax of Is in the £ on wages and other income, plus the amount received from the annual levy, brought in £9,200,000. not £8,000,000, as had been estimated by the actuary- Last year's pensions vote was £7,000,000. If this was transferred to the Social Security Fund and added to the £9,200,000 received from the tax the whole cost from the beginning of the year would be met from the Consolidated Fund. The cost of the scheme was much below the Government's estimate and certainly much below the exaggerated and ridiculous figures suggested by Opposition members. CRITICISM OR ATTACK? The Leader of the Oppositon had criticised certain members of the Government for daring to attack the Prime Minister and Cabinet of Great Britain, Mr. Nordmeyer said. Mr. Hamilton had said that he did not object to criticism but he disagreed with the attack that had been made. Where did criticism end and attack begin? Mr. Nordmeyer asked. Would Mr. Hamilton give a definition? It might be said that Mr. Hamilton had attacked Mr. Savage and the Government, but he called it criticism. No member on the Government benches was going to adopt a servile or sycophantic attitude to those j in authority in Britain when they believed them to be mistaken.