SOCIAL SECURITY

Greymouth Evening Star, 6 November 1944, Page 6

SOCIAL SECURITY

SIR W. BEVERIDGE’S SPEECH.

RUGBY, November 3.. Six' William Beveridge made his maiden speech in the House of Commons on nis own special subject when continuing the debate on social insurance. He was given a great reception, and the House gave his speech keen attention, warmly cheering at the finish. Sir William said he thought the Government scheme was gigantic, but there were three points in .it which might be improved. Those points were related to family allowances, the ulti.mate rate of the retirement pension, and methods of administration of the sickness benefit. In approaching the problem of childhood, he suggested that the primary aim of social security in the future should be to make provision for.every child against want, against being cold and hungry and illclad, not because the parents were spending their money badly, but because the family income was not sufficient to buy the bare necessities of life That should be done in such a way as to preserve parental responsibility as much as possible. He begged the Government to take as the primary aim the care.of children. . Speaking of the retiring pensions, he submitted that the aim should be that every British citizen on retirement should be sure of old age without want and without dependence on the young, and without need for becoming a charge upon public assistance. The Government’s proposal, quite candidly, rejected that aim. Thirty-five shillings a week for a man and his wife on any reasonable forecast of the cost of living'after the war was not a reasonable assurance against want. Referring to the plan as a whole, he said that the plan could be made into one for abolishing want by a few changes —the changes of a few figures. Social security was not a controversial issue. Could they not do this thing within the next few months? Could they not make Britain a land in which indolence alone would suffer want? CHANCELLOR’S ATTITUDE. The Chancellor of the Exchequer (Sir John Anderson) said that ip the debate which followed publication of the Beveridge report he had, while welcoming the scheme, thought it right to strike a note of caution and to say that the final judgment must be reserved until it was possible to see what the financial position was likely to be. He did not regret striking that note of caution, which was justified, and should not have been mistaken either for lukewarmness or insincerity. Sir John Anderson said the Government agreed with Sir William Beveridge that the primary aim should be abolition of want. He looked forward to the time when the standard of hie of the people would be high, the level of employment good, and the distribution of wealth much more equal than in the past. He was convinced himself that if all concerned themselves to see that public opinion kept abreast of these developments in material matters, all would be well. Sir John concluded: “I am prepared to take such a risk as is involved and I counsel my honourable friends not to be alarmed at the prospective charge on the Exchequer. I say that after very careful consideration, and after looking as closely as I can at our prospective resources of national income and liabilities.”