§ Mr. E. BROWNasked the Minister of Labour whether any estimate has been made or attempted as to the number of insured persons who will fail to qualify for benefit under the proposed conditions laid down in the new Unemployment Insurance Bill, or whether he will cause such an estimate to be made?
§ Sir A. STEEL-MAITLANDEstimates of the amount of unemployment for which benefit will or will not be payable under the proposals of the Bill are given in paras. 7–11 of the Actuary's Report (published as an Appendix to the Report of the Blanesburgh Committee) to which I would refer the hon. Member.
§ Mr. BUCHANANasked the Minister of Labour the amount that will be paid by the State, by the employers and by the workers, respectively, in the financial year from the commencement of the proposed new Unemployment Insurance Bill?
§ Sir A. STEEL - MAITLANDThe answer is, approximately, as follows:
£ Employers 17,000,000 Employed persons 14,500,000 Exchequer 12,250,000 Total £43,750,000
§ MR. BUCHANANasked the Minister of Labour the number of person who are chairman of courts of referees through-out the country; the rate of remuneration paid to them; the total cost; and if an increase will be needed under the new Unemployment Insurance Bill and the total extra cost?
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§ Sir A. STEEL-MAITLANDThere are 85 chairman of courts of referees and 134 deputy-chairmen. Their remuneration is 2½ guineas a sitting, and the total expenditure under this head for 1926–27 was £20,326. The proposals of the Unemployment Insurance Bill involve a considerable increase in the work of courts of referees and consequently in the cost. Provisionally, it is estimated that the net increased cost of courts of referees by way of fees and other expenses may be at the rate of about £200,000 a year.