§ Mr. J. Griffithsasked the Minister of Labour what the cost would be to the Unemployment Insurance Fund of abolishing the three days waiting period for 1940 if the level of unemployment remains at the average for the first three months of the year?
§ Mr. E. BrownThe data available do not enable me to make an estimate of the cost of such a change in war-time conditions. In the Debate on 4th April I stated that with an average rate of unemployment of 15 per cent. the cost of abolishing the waiting period while retaining the continuity rule would be £1,750,000 a year, while the corresponding cost, if the continuity rule were abolished, so that payment would be made for all days of unemployment, would be between £5,000,000 and £6,000,000 a year. On the same occasion I also called attention to the danger of making such changes without taking account of their effect over a number of years.