37. Mr. GIDEON MURRAYasked the Prime Minister whether he can give any indication as to when the new insurance scheme, against unemployment is likely to be ready for submission to the House of Commons, and how many months from the present time he anticipates it will take before the scheme can be brought into force?
§ The PARLIAMENTARY SECRETARY to the MINISTRY of LABOUR (Mr. Wardle)I have been asked to reply to this question. As I stated yesterday in reply to the hon. Member for Lincoln, it is hoped to introduce a Bill dealing with this subject very shortly. It is not possible to say what period is likely to elapse before the scheme comes into operation, since this must depend on the nature of the scheme as finally adopted and the date of its adoption.
Mr. MURRAYMay I ask whether, when the Government decided to repeal the unemployment doles to civilian workers, they had any definite idea in their heads as to how long it would take to bring in this unemployment Bill?
§ Mr. WARDLEI think they have a very definite idea of how long it will be, because the Bill is now being prepared.
§ Mr. ACLANDDoes "very shortly" mean before Christmas, or after Christmas?
§ Mr. WARDLEI think so!
§ Mr. ACLANDWhich?
§ Mr. WARDLEBefore!