§ 35. Mr. BOWERMANasked the Minister of Labour the number of industrial workers insured for sickness and for unemployment, respectively; how many are exempt from payment of contributions for the latter, and the grounds upon which such exemption has been granted: if he will state separately the number of public servants, i.e., civil servants and municipal employés, who are not contributing to Unemployment Insurance; and whether he can give an estimate of the number of salaried persons in industry, commerce, and public services who are not contributing to the maintenance, through insurance, of the compulsorily unemployed?
§ Sir M. BARLOWAs this reply involves a good many figures I will, with my right hon. Friend's consent, circulate the answer in the OFFICIAL REPORT.
§ Following is the answer:
§ The total number of workpeople covered by the Health Insurance scheme is about 15,000,000 and the corresponding 684 figure for Unemployment Insurance is about 11,500,000. Certificates of exemption have been issued to 33,500 persons either on account of their possessing an independent income of £26 a year, or more, or for other reasons; the employer's contribution is still payable in these cases. In addition, about 450,000 persons on the permanent staffs of local authorities, railways, public utility undertakings and Police authorities have been excepted from Unemployment Insurance. Established civil servants, numbering about 188,000, are not liable to contribute to Unemployment Insurance. It is not possible to state, with any approach to accuracy, the number of salaried persons not subject to compulsory insurance against unemployment.