LABOUR’S PENSION PLAN

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 811, 4 November 1929, Page 9

LABOUR’S PENSION PLAN

EXPENSE OF £100,000,000 IN 16 YEARS HOUSE CARRIES MOTION LONDON, Saturday. In the House of Commons last evening Miss Susan Lawrence, Parliamentary Secretary for Health, introduced a financial motion for the Widows, Orphans and Old Age Contributory Pensions Bill. This provided tor £9,000,000 to March 31, 1931, an addition £1,000,000 for each succeeding year for 12 years and aftei that £21,000,000 a year. gjj. Kingsley Miss Lawrence s predecessor in office, said the motion would commit them to an expenditure of £100,000,000 in the next 16 years. The social services of Britain were costing 78s per capita compared with 32s in Germany, 16s in France, 3s in Italy, and 4s in Belgium. One of the reasons why Britain could not keep down costs and regain her markets was the cost of these services. The Minister of Health, Mr. Arthur Greenwood, said he was not afraid of raising the cost of the social services. The national ‘savings amounted to £4 50.000,000 a year. The assets of tlic nation within the past five years had increased by £2,250.000,000. The motion was carried.