BEVERIDGE PLAN

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 87, Issue 42, 20 February 1943, Page 5

BEVERIDGE PLAN

AMENDMENTDEFEATED PROPOSAL EXPLAINED BY MINISTER (Recd. 6 p.m.) London. Feb. 18. At the end of a three days’ debate in the House of Commons on the Beveridge plan for social security, a Labour amendment expressing dissatisfaction with the Government’s attitude to the plan was rejected by 325 votes to 119. The vote was taken after the Home Secretary, Mr. Herbert Morrison, had summarised the Government's proposals. Mr. Morrison explained that the plan proposed 23 changes of the existing system of social insurance. Sixteen had been accented bv the Government, six were left open for further consideration, and only one — the proposal to put commercial life insurance on a nublic utility basis—had been rejected for the time being. Mr. Morrison said that the six fundamental principles of the Beveridge nlan covered adequate subsistence benefits, uniform contributions, and a unified comprehensive social insurance system had all been adopted, except for the definition of subsistence. The three basic assumptions of thw nlan—maintenance of employment, a comprehensive health service, and childrens’ allowances—were also accented. Mr. Morrison said the Government had worked hard and sneedilv to produce these proposals within 12 weeks of the publication of the report. The Government wished to get to the next stage. Negotiations and preparations were going on leading up to the framing of legislation. The Government would report again to the House when it was readv to introduce the Social Security Bill. The financial aspect of the Bill would require serious con«’deration. and because of that thp Government refused to make any reckless promises.

Mr. Morrison appealed to critics of the Government to think again before taking any action which might precipitate a serious political situation. The Labour amendment expressing dissatisfaction with the Government proposals was moved by Mr. James Griffiths. He declared that the Beveridge plan was the symbol of the kind of Britain they were determined to have after the war. It was a test of all their professions and promises. The question was not whether they could afford the plan, but whether they could face the post-war period without it.

A Conservative member argued that children’s allowances should be introduced immediately as a separate measure.

A news correspondent says that although the vote against the Government was the largest yet recorded, it is not likely to precipitate a political crisis. Mr. Morrison’s speech cleared away many of the objections to the other Government statement. The debate was held to obtain the opinion of the House, and it is clear, he says, that Parliament wants the Government to be ready with a big social security scheme as soon as victory is won. Had Mr. Morrison made his speech at the beginning of the debate, the Government would have been spared a lot of trouble.

The Labour Ministers, including Mr. Morrison, are expected to meet to consider their own position in view of the big opposition vote. A popular view is that the Opposition would have achieved its object if the Government was stimulated in its task of bringing in the Beveridge proposals. Mr. Morrison’s speech has been described as the vision of a brave new world.