HC Deb 15 December 1919 vol 123 cc202-3

Notwithstanding the increase in the rate of unemployment benefit effected by this Act the expression "unemployment benefit under the principal Act" in Sub-section (1) of Section thirteen of the National Insurance (Part II. Unemployment) Act, 1914 (which limits the power to make or continue arrangements with associations under Section one hundred and five of the National Insurance Act, 1911) shall, during the period ending on the thirty-first day of December, nineteen hundred and twenty, be construed as meaning unemployment benefit at the rate payable before the commencement of this Act. Lords Amendment: After the word "expression" ["by this Act the expression"], insert the words "which is at least one-third greater than the provision represented by.

Motion made, and Question proposed, "That this House doth agree with the Lords in the said Amendment."—[Mr. Wardle.]

Mr. HOGGE

Will my hon. Friend explain the effect of this Amendment?

The PARLIAMENTARY SECRETARY to the MINISTRY of LABOUR (Mr. Wardle)

Both the Amendments on the Paper are purely drafting Amendments, their object being to ensure that the intentions of the measure are carried out. Where a trade union has been paying unemployment benefit on the smaller scale, 7s., it has had to provide one-third of the amount. But if the benefit is raised to 11s. it will have to provide more than the 2s. 4d., and the object of this is to make it clear that it will not have to provide the additional amount until after the 31st December next year.

Question put, and agreed to.

Lords Amendment: After the word "meaning" insert the words which exceeds the provision represented by unemployment benefit at the rate payable after the commencement of this Act by an amount which is not less than one-third of the provision represented by. —Agreed to.