3 JANUARY 1920, Page 11

The text-has been issued of the Govern/nen-fa Unemployment Insurance Bill.

Some classes of workers, notably agricultural labourers, are excluded from the Bill, but even so nearly twelve millions of workers will be dealt with. The Bill, of course, is only an extension; though a very large one, of a principle which was already in operation. The Act of 1911 introduced insurance against unemployment, and . at the present moment over three million workers are interred under that Aet. Under the existing conditions the worker and the employer contribute 24d. each per week, and the Government add one-third of the total sub- scribed. The weekly payment to unemployed men who are insured is 11s., having recently been raised from the original 7s. skl.