UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE.

HC Deb 20 December 1938 vol 342 cc2705-6W

Mr. T. Smith

asked the Minister of Labour whether he can state the approxi- mate cost of abolishing the maximum of 30s. per week sunder the Agricultural Unemployment Insurance Act?

Mr. Lennox-Boyd

The extent to which the amount of unemployment benefit, paid to applicants under the agricultural scheme, is reduced owing to this restriction would vary according to the level of unemployment and other factors; on the basis of the benefit paid in the past 12 months the reduction is estimated at about £9,000. This sum does not necessarily represent the full cost that would be entailed by the abolition of the restriction, and there are, of course, wider considerations involved in any such proposal.

Mr. T. Smith

asked the Minister of Labour whether he can state the number of claims admitted for benefit under the Agricultural Workers Insurance Act from 1st December, 1937, to 30th November, 1938, and the amount paid into the fund by the workers, employers, and the State, respectively, during the same period?

Mr. Lennox-Boyd

The average number of insured persons aged 16–64 with claims admitted for agricultural benefit in Great Britain during the 12 months December, 1937, to November, 1938 (as indicated by the figures compiled for one date in each month) was 18,350. In that period the approximate contributions paid to the Agricultural Account of the Unemployment Fund were as follow:

		£
By employers	…	620,000
By employed persons	…	620,000
By the Exchequer	…	620,000

Mr. T. Williams

asked the Minister of Labour what was the average amount of unemployment within the Agricultural Unemployment Insurance Act for the year ended 30th November, 1938, and what was the surplus in the fund at that time?

Mr. Lennox-Boyd

The average number and percentage of persons, aged 16–64, insured under the Agricultural Scheme recorded as unemployed in Great Britain during the 12 months December, 1937, to November, 1938 (as indicated by the figures compiled for one date in each month) were 36,600 and 5.5 per cent. respectively. On 30th November, 1938, the balance on the Agricultural Account of the Unemployment Fund was about £2,770,000.