HC Deb 10 November 1930 vol 244 cc1310-1
45. F. HALL

asked the Prime Minister if he Swill consider as to the appointment of a Royal Commission to report on the question of the extent to which needy and deserving classes of persons are ineligible for receiving unemployment benefit, widows' pensions, and other like advantages owing to their failing to comply with certain technical conditions which attach to the payment of these benefits and pensions?

The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER (Mr. Philip Snowden)

It is the constant endeavour of the Government to secure that our various pensions and insurance schemes operate fairly and with the minimum of hardship and we have already, with the co-operation of the House, made important alterations both in the unemployment insurance scheme and in the contributory pensions scheme to this end. As was announced in the King's Speech, a general inquiry into the unemployment insurance scheme is now to be undertaken and a Committee of the Cabinet has for some time been conducting a wide review of the whole field of pensions and insurance.

Sir F. HALL

When this matter has been gone into, will the various points referred to in the question be considered, so as to make the law as easy as possible for those outside to understand?

Mr. SNOWDEN

Certainly.

Sir K. WOOD

When are the widows in need going to receive pensions?

Mr. SNOWDEN

I may say, for the information of the right hon. Gentleman, as he appears to be quite ignorant of the fact, that 400,000 or 500,000 widows have received pensions.

Sir K. WOOD

Is that what the right hon. Gentleman promised?

Mr. ALPASS

Were not nearly all, if not all, the technical conditions which are preventing persons from receiving these benefits and pensions the creation of the party opposite?

Sir F. HALL

That is not fair. [Interruption.] It is not fair play.