On Wednesday Mr. Crookshank introduced an innocent little measure, called
War Savings (Determination of Needs) Bill. In response to a pledge given by the late Chancellor that war savings would not be reckoned in assessing needs under Unemployment and Old Age Pensions grants, the Government almost unconsciously created a grave injustice as between pen- sioner and pensioner, because while all new war savings up to a figure of £375 could be ignored, no old savings could be converted into war savings. This penalised soldiers and sailors, who could not possibly save on the same scale as munition workers, if indeed they could save at all. Mr. James Griffiths for Labour, Mr. Mander for the Liberals, and Sir Irving Albery for the Conservatives, all vigorously protested. After hours of debate Mr. Attlee was forced to intervene and the Bill was sent back for re-drafting. Once again the Labour Front Bench, apart from Mr. Griffiths and Mr. Mathers, took no part in voicing the widespread disapproval of the House. Incidentally no co-operative members took part: it was rumoured that they feared any removal of savings from their own funds to war savings.
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