HL Deb 28 July 1919 vol 35 cc1137-8

Order of the Day for the Second Reading read.

VISCOUNT PEEL

My Lords, the Insurance Bill of 1911 made insurance compulsory up to £160 a year for non-manual workers. All manual workers are included. At present, that sum does not represent the situation because, of course, the dividing line between the different classes of manual workers represented by £160 a year in 1911 is, owing to the rise in wages and value of money, very different. Therefore the Government, after much consultation, have decided that £250 a year should represent the dividing line. The result will be that all persons up to £250 a year who are. non-manual workers will come under compulsory insurance. Of course a certain number of persons who were not insured before, that is to say, non-manual workers who were getting £160 to £250 a year and whose income has not now risen to over £250 a year, will be forced to insure. Under a subsection of the Bill they are able to contract out in certain cases, that is to say, to get certificates of exemption, because there might otherwise be some hardship upon them. Financially there will be hardly any fresh charge on the Treasury. All that will happen is that whereas a number of these insurances would have lapsed, and therefore there would be no Treasury contribution towards them, the effect of this measure will be to maintain that compulsory contribution, and therefore they will be insured.

Moved, That the Bill be now read 2a.—(Viscount Peel.)

On Question, Bill read 2a, and committed to a Committee of the Whole House.