§ Mr. W. THORNEasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if his attention had been drawn to the statement made by Judge Stevenson, at Cockermouth County Court last week, where he made a reduced order of 6d. a week against a woman and stated that he could not understand how the woman was able to maintain a family of seven children on her husband's wage of 21s.; if he was aware that when the State Insurance Bill became law, in consequence of thousands of workmen being called upon to pay 6½d per week out of a wage of less than £1 per week, thousands of families would be in a worse position than the case referred to; and if he intended reducing the contributions to the State insurance scheme for those who were receiving less than £1 per week?
Mr. McKINNON WOODI hope that the result of the Insurance Bill will be to place thousands of families of the poorest class in a better position than ever before in times of illness and unemployment. The scale of reduced contributions for low wage-earners was fixed after very careful consideration, and my right hon. Friend does not see his way to adopt my hon. Friend's suggestion.