A COMMONS SCENE

Greymouth Evening Star, 19 July 1939, Page 9

A COMMONS SCENE

LADY ASTOR ANNOYED

LONDON, June 7.

During the report stage of the Unemployment Insurance Bill there was a lively altercation between Viscountess Astor and Mr. J. J. Lawson (Socialist M.P, for Chester-le-Street, Durham).

Mr. Lawson had stated that the Bill would have a bad effect in the country when Lady Astor apparently made some remark which led. Mr. Lawson to break off his argument and say, “1 do not know whether Lady Astor considers this amusing?”

Viscountess Astor: Why don’t you let me alone? I have not said a word; Mr. Lawson: She seems to consider it amusing, and l I can. tell her this, that she will have some of the unemployed on her track as a result Of the operation of this Bill.

Lady Astor: I am not afraid. Mr. Lawson: Probably you are not afraid, but I know places in the coun try where you would be afraid. • The Deputy Speaker intervened. Lady Astor: Has. he got any right to attack me? (Opposition cries of “Sit down”). “It is preposterous,” added Lady Astor. “I have never heard of such a thing before.”

Mr. Lawson: All I can say is that if Lady Astor had been here during the debate, she would have realised that this is a very serious matter. Lady Astor: I have been here all the afternoon..

Mr. Lawson: She has no right, in face of the fact that she is clothed in fine linen and lives softly, in high places to treat this matter lightly.

Lady Astor: You are not in rags.

The Deputy-Speaker: I must ask both honourable members to ' cease these personalities.

The purpose o£ the Bill isi to improve the conditions' of insurance benefit for the unemployed.

Mr. Grenfell (Socialist) had moved a new clause to abolish the Availing period and provide benefit for applicants for uu'cnTployment' -benefit from the first day oil which they become unemployed. He said that this was a long-standing -grievance which d-epriv ed men of benefit on the- first three days of unemployment and whs a particular hardship on men who were frequently in and out of employment. Mr. Ernest Brown (Minister of Labour), opposing the clause, said that to abolish the waiting period and pay benefit for every day of unemployment would cost, so far as could be estimated, £5,000,000,000 a year to the fund. Under the present proposals the cost would be £1,150,000 a year. Mr. Lawson said to lose one- day’s wages was a'tragic thing for workers in the mining industry, and to lose benefit was very bad indeed. “There is going to be uproar in the the country as the' result of this’ Bill," he added, “because of its effect on great industries, in respect, particularly, of holidays, which have been used for benefits that are counted as waiting days, but which will not be counted in future.”

The clause was defeated by 237 to 143.

Mr. Foot (L., Dundee) moved a new clause which provided that before any regulation was made under section 1 or 2 of the Bill, the Minister should obtain approval of both Houses’ of Parliament.

This was rejected by 18-1 votes to 130.