BRITAIN’S WORKLESS

Grey River Argus, 6 March 1937, Page 6

BRITAIN’S WORKLESS

Dole Surplus PROPOSAL TO DISTRIBUTE MORE. (British Official Wireless). RUGBY, March 3. In the House of Commons, to-day, the Minister for Labour (Mr. Ernest Brown) moved a resolution approving a draft order dealing wiitlhi the reduction from six to three days of the waiting period before unemployment benefit is jxiid 2 and lengthening -the period of benefit enjoyed by men who had worked regularly during the last five years while drawing relatively little in benefit.

Mr. Brown said the receipts of the fund for T 936 amounted’, to £65,707,238 being £1,000,000 more than the previous year, notwithstanding that from July 7 there ihad, been a reduction of one penny each from the contribu. tions of employers ami workers, and that State payments on the other hand, amounted to £6,045.000 less than 'in 1935. 'Khis was because of the increase in employment and the de. crease in unemployment. The unemployment advisory committee reported a surplus of £l7, 537.470, so that the accumulated balance at the end of the- year was nearly £39,000,000 or £6 700,000 more than'the committee had estimated- in its previous report. There was no opposition to ’the mo. tion, but some Labour members stated ' tihat the concession should, in view of the statet of Hie fund, be more generous.