§ 39. Mr. FORRESTasked the Minister of Labour if, in view of the time that has elapsed since the passing of the Bill of 1924 extending uncovenanted benefit, he can state what has been the result of the working of this system hitherto, and more especially the extent to which men thus receiving uncovenanted benefit are meeting by stamps the advances made to 2250 them; and whether the experience of the working of this Act in any way affects the actuarial estimates which were then formed of the effect of this proposal on the stability of the Unemployment Insurance Fund?
§ Sir A. STEEL-MAITLANDThere is, I am afraid, no means of estimating at all accurately the extent to which the individuals who have drawn uncovenanted benefit, or, as it is now described, extended benefit, pay in an equivalent amount by way of contributions. The experience of the seven months since the coming into force of the 1924 Act on 1st August last has not revealed any departure from the actuarial estimates framed in connection with that Act, but I should point out that the volume of unemployment since that date has hitherto been substantially greater than the average assumed for the purpose of those estimates.