Wing-Commander Jamesasked the Minister without Portfolio whether he can give any estimate of the time within which it will be possible to introduce legislation once decisions have been taken on those major changes recommended in the Beveridge Report which have been reserved for further consideration by His Majesty's Government?
§ Sir W. JowittI am afraid that it is not possible to give such an estimate, but I think it is only right to say that whilst work is proceeding actively it must of necessity take a considerable time to bring it to completion. Apart from major questions of policy there are other important matters which the report itself recommended should be the subject of special investigation. The working out of the details of a scheme of such magnitude with its intricate consequential problems, such as the transitional arrangements from 1853W the old schemes to the new and the preparation of the subsequent legislation, is a very formidable task.