§ Mr. BARNESasked the President of the Board of Trade whether he can now state approximately the numbers of separate workmen in each of the trades specified in Part II. of the National Insurance Act for whom unemployment insurance cards have already been issued; and the average amount of the payments now being made weekly by the employers and the workmen, respectively, in respect of unemployment insurance under the Act by stamps or otherwise?
Mr. BUXTONI am circulating with the Votes a statement showing the numbers of unemployment books issued in each of the insured trades. The average weekly 1387W amount now being received in contributions is approximately £33,000, but it is not possible to distinguish the contributions of employers and workpeople. A certain number of employers have by mistake used health insurance stamps for the payment of unemployment insurance contributions. These will ultimately be credited to the Unemployment Fund and will increase correspondingly the actual receipts of the Fund. It is not possible at the moment to give any estimate of the extent of this error.
The following is the statement referred to:—
RETURN SHOWING BY TRADES THE NUMBER OF UNEMPLOYMENT BOOKS ISSUED UP TO AND INCLUDING 28TH DECEMBER, 1912. Trade. London and South Eastern. South Western. West Midlands. Yorks and East Midlands. North Western. Wales. Scotland and Northern. Ireland. Totals for United Kingdom. Building 282,880 74,832 52,249 95,174 101,467 39,381 96,934 36,411 779,328 Works of construction 28,066 11,308 9,000 25,474 25,508 15,301 31,791 5,493 151,941 Shipbuilding 18,486 22,188 342 7,864 29,957 10,126 131,612 19,987 240,562 Engineering 116,2(57 39,284 72,719 164,087 157,886 16,845 199,042 21,837 787,967 Construction of vehicles 42,200 14,908 55,904 32,617 20,725 4,188 17,901 5,098 193,550 Sawmilling 4,229 1,389 719 3,256 2,323 876 4,504 1,365 18,661 Other industries 9,480 3,815 6,278 13,773 17,517 5,165 20,797 1,797 78,622 Totals 501,617 167,724 197,211 342,245 355,383 91,882 502,581 91,988 2,250,631
§ Mr. BARNESalso asked the President of the Board of Trade whether any, and, if so, what regulations have been made under Section 106 of the National Insurance Act, 1912; whether any list has been prepared of the trade unions from which it is expected that claims will be received for repayment of unemployment benefit under this Section, and, if so, whether he will name the societies and state their estimated membership; on what date should application for such repayment be made; in respect of what period should it be made out; and what is the total sum estimated to be payable under this Section during the ensuing financial year out of moneys provided by Parliament?
Mr. BUXTONI am sending my hon. Friend copy of a pamphlet setting out the relevant regulations and requirements of the Board of Trade under Section 106. Copies of this pamphlet have been sent to nearly 700 associations, being all those known to the Board as making payments to their members whilst unemployed. Two hundred and twenty-five of these associations have given notice of their intention
1388Wto claim a repayment under the Section, but my right hon. Friend is not at present in a position to give an estimate of their membership. Any association which contemplates claiming a repayment, but has not already given notice of its intention to the Board, should do so immediately, with a view to putting itself in a position to claim in accordance with the regulations. It is proposed that claims shall be made quarterly to cover periods ending with the close of March, June, September, and December, and it is provisionally estimated that the sum of £70,000 will be required for repayments under the Section
during the financial year 1913–14, on the assumption that the rate of unemployment does not differ materially from that experienced during the current year.