SOCIAL INSURANCE

Evening Star, Issue 25323, 3 November 1944, Page 2

SOCIAL INSURANCE

COMMONS DEBATE ON WHITE PAPER CONSERVATIVE CRITIC THINKS SCHEME UNWORKABLE Labour urges immediate legislation (British Official Wireless.) (Rec. noon.) RUGBY, Nov. 2. . The Minister Designate for Social Security, Sir William Jowitt, opened a two-day debate in the House of Commons by moving a resolution welcoming the Government's intention, declared in a White Paper, to establish an enlarged and unified scheme of social insurance and a system of family allowances.

Sir William said he believed this scheme represented, in scope and comprehension, one of the greatest single advances made in this or any other country in the development .of social insurance.

The Minister proceeded that they did not doubt there was room for improvement in the scheme, but let them riot lose the good that was in it by struggling for the best, which might be unobtainable. It was Idle to deny that there were very considerable difficulties in applying the principle of universality in the scheme. Obviously, they must have discussions with all sections of the community who felt themselves affected by this principle, but, while they must be fair to each group, they must be fair to the fund itself. He hoped it would not be thought that the Government wished to discourage voluntary thrift or insurance—the reverse was the case. It was important that the scheme should be humanely and sympathetically administered. It involved very heavy commitments, extending far into the future. It was at once a challenge and an act of supreme faith in the future of our country. Mr Arthur Greenwood said he would press the Government for some information about when the White Paper was going "to (be translated into legislation. He was not prepared to wait until the whole plan was ready in legislative form. This Bill or Bills, implementing the proposals, ought to be on the Statute Book before nest election. He did not believe party government on a peace-time model could deal with proposals like this without facing very great perils, but if the present Tlouse made up its mind, composed as it was now, it could get the scheme. Si»Waldroh Smithers (Con.) said the schema in the White Paper was unworkable, and would break down financially and administratively, because it was contrary to natural law. He urged the Government to wait for the* General Election, and put these questions before the people. Then, if the people said yes, their blood would be on their own heads. Parliament had no mandate to carry through a controversial measure of'this kind.