HC Deb 07 June 1921 vol 142 cc1685-6
53. Mr. LAMBERT

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer for how long will funds be available to pay the unemployment insurance benefit; and what action the Government propose to take when the present fund is exhausted?

The FINANCIAL SECRETARY to the TREASURY (Mr. Hilton Young)

A Bill is being introduced to-morrow to deal with the situation that has arisen from the recent heavy depletion of the unemployment insurance fund, and my right hon. Friend, the Minister of Labour, will then make a full statement as to the present position and the action which the Government propose to take.

Mr. LAMBERT

In any action that the Government proposes to take, is it in tended that any future fund shall be self-supporting, or will it have to be subsidised from the Treasury?

Mr. YOUNG

My right hon. Friend will, no doubt, be content to wait, for further information on that point, for the statement to-morrow.

56. Colonel NEWMAN

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he can give the present total weekly charge to the taxpayers in the way of out-of-work donation and unemployment benefit; and will any Supplementary Estimate be necessary under these headings?

The PARLIAMENTARY SECRETARY to the MINISTRY of LABOUR (Sir Montague Barlow)

I have been asked to reply. The present weekly charge to the taxpayer in respect of out-of-work donation is about £7,000. Unemployment benefit is paid out of the unemployment fund, to which the State is at present contributing at the rate of about £70,000 a week. The remainder of the revenue of the unemployment fund, which at present amounts in total to about £350,000 a week, is furnished by the contributions of employers and employed persons and interest on investments. As regards the last part of the question, my right hon. Friend intends to introduce a Bill tomorrow dealing with the serious position into which the finance of unemployment insurance has been brought by the present industrial crisis, and will deal then with the measures required.

Colonel NEWMAN

Does the hon. Gentleman mean that the small sums he has mentioned are all that is being paid for the relief of unemployment?

Sir M. BARLOW

I am afraid my hon. and gallant Friend has forgotten that there was in the fund a balance of £22,000,000, which, of course, has been drawn upon.

Mr. LAMBERT

Will it be necessary to have a Supplementary Estimate for this Bill when it has been read a Second time?

Sir M. BARLOW

There again I think my right hon. Friend had better wait until the statement is made to-morrow.