SOCIAL INSURANCE

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXI, Issue 21548, 30 October 1944, Page 4

SOCIAL INSURANCE

vVORKERS : CGivirjtN£& i iGh NEW BRITISH SCHEME LONDON, Oct. 9. Proposals for an industrial injury compensation scheme, completing the British plans for social insurance, have' been set out in a White Paper issued in London. For the purpose of the scheme £23.000,000 n year v.iil bo administered by live of Social Security. The oi l oi iin Minim. ;.i .. i n.vifi .'.n h miiili mail- v;ori:. i .u.il iron I tile employer, is included in (tie comprehensive payment covering all social insurance benefits, this being 3i: 10d from each worker and 3s Id from the employer for male adults. Women workers will pay 2d a week and juveniles under IS will contribute lid. War Pension Analogy Under the plan the principle i" established that workers’ compensation is no longer a liability imposed by law on the employer, but is a national social service. It resembles the system of war pensions, recognising the similarity between a soldier wounded in battle and a man injured in the course of productive work for the community. At present a weekly allowance of up to 35s a week is payable as compensation in respect of total incapacity for a single man for the first, 13 weeks and £2 a week after that period. For a married man the rates are £2 and £2 10s respectively. Th addition. 5s a week is payable for each child. These are maximum rates, and provision is made that the allowances must not exceed two-thirds of the wage-earner’s rate of pay before the accident. Proportionate rates are payable for partial incapacity. In fatal cases lump sums, determined by the worker’s earnings and the number of his dependants, are payable. Under certain conditions weekly payments can be compounded into a lump sum. The new plan provides for 35s a week for a single man or woman, plus 8s 9d for an adult dependant, and 5s for the first child. Other children receive the 5s allowance under the general social insurance scheme. After the first 13 weeks £2 a week i proposed for a single worker, plus 10s a week for an adult dependant and 7s fid for the first child. Children also receive benefits in kind. Wher ' constant attention is needed, a special allowance of £ l a week may be awarded. Appeal to Tribunal An advisory committee is to be set no with equal representation of employers and workers, who wilt.also be equally represented on local appeal tribunals. The present procedure, by which claims against an employer are subject to appeals to the ordinary courts of law, is to be superseded bv a system under which claims dealt with by a pensions officer will 1 b - ' subject to appeal to a local tribunal, with a further right of appeal to an industrial injury insurance commissioner. Women workers will gel equ' l benefits with men and juveniles will receive half rates. Broadly, all employed persons, including non-manual workers, are covered by the scheme which includes certain industrial diseases.