UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE.

Taranaki Daily News, 10 June 1921, Page 5

UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE.

BRITISH RATES RAISED. SORROWING POWERS INCREASED. By Telegraph.—Press Assn.—Copyright. London, June 8. In the House of Commons, Mr. McNamara, under the ten minutes’ rule, introduced a Bill to vary the rates of contributions and benefits under the Unemployment Insurance Act. He said the percentage of unemployment was now 23, involving the payment of two millions weekly with an income of only £350,000. There were only 8| millions In the account, though there were 224 millions in March, so it was necessary to reduce the benefit to men to 15s and women to 12s. Six weeks’ benefit will be added to the sixteen allowed under the March Act. otherwise many will be without assistance in July, August, September and October. The Treasury was willing to advance to the fund sixteen millions, which would be repaid when circumstances were normal. It was therefore necessary to increase the borrowing power from ten millions to twenty millions and contributions to the fund must be increased after July 4, men paying 7d weekly, the State 4fd. the employers Bd. Leave to introduce the Bill was granted by 221 votes to 62.