§ Mr. T. Williamsasked the Minister of Labour (1) what was the income of the agricultural workers' insurance scheme for the year ending 3oth October, 1939, and the estimated surplus at that date;
(2) whether he will state the amount of benefits paid out of the agricultural workers' insurance scheme for the year ending 3oth October, 1939?
§ Mr. E. BrownThe contribution income of the Agricultural Account of the Unemployment Fund and the amount of benefit paid in the year ended 31st October, 1939, were respectively about £1,665.000 and £857,000. The balance of the account on that date was approximately £3,360,000.
§ Mr. T. Williamsasked the Minister of Labour what is the estimated cost of the removal of the waiting period from the agricultural workers' unemployment insurance scheme and the estimated cost of 493W providing similar benefits to those paid out of the general scheme?
§ Mr. E. BrownIt is impracticable in present circumstances to make any precise estimate of the cost of abolishing the waiting period of three days under the agricultural unemployment insurance scheme. The cost of increasing the rates of benefit under that scheme to the level of those under the general scheme is estimated at £180,000 a year on the assumptions made by the Unemployment Insurance Statutory Committee in their Report on the financial condition of the Unemployment Fund on 3Ist December, 1938.