In the House of Conunons on Tuesday Mr. Shaw, the
Minister of Labour, moved the second reading of the Unemployment Insurance (No. 3) Bill. It substitutes a maximum period of 41 weeks of benefit for the 26 weeks prescribed by the Act of 1923. Like the Unemployment Insurance (No. 2) Bill, which is also before Parliament, it will appreciably increase the benefits payable out of the Unemployment Fund. It is proposed to increase the weekly rates by 20 per cent. in the case of men and 25 per cent. in the case of women, and to double the existing allowance of ls. a week in respect of each child. It is also proposed that boys and girls between the ages of 14 and 16 shall be insured on becoming employed in insured trades. Mr. Shaw estimated that the extra payments to be made under No. 3 Bill before next October will amount to about £2,250,000. No. 2 Bill will involve much larger amounts.
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