I move:—
Section 1.—In line 16, before the words "no account" to insert the letter "(a)"; in line 20 after the figures "1924" to insert the word "and," and to add a new paragraph at the end as follows:—
(b) during the Fourth Benefit Year each of the total number of contributions actually paid in respect of such persons since the 8th day of November, 1920, shall be treated as equivalent to three contributions or such lesser number of contributions (not being less than one) as the Minister may from time to time prescribe by regulations made for the purpose.
The great defect of the Bill is that while it provides an extension of benefits for contributors who have a fairly large number of contributions to their credit, it makes no provision for those who may have very few contributions to their credit. In other words, if a man now unemployed was insured prior to 1920, and, owing to the boom years of the war built up a big reserve of contributions to his credit, or, if he was in fairly constant employment since 1920, he would be entitled to nearly the maximum benefit allowed under the Bill up to the period of March next. On the other hand, a man who got very little employment since 1920, and who was unlucky enough not to have been in an insurable occupation prior to 1920, will have very little, if any, benefit to gain from the Bill. The object of the amendment is to remove this defect by multiplying every contribution by a maximum of three, or by a smaller figure, where multiplication by three would be excessive, having regard to the maximum period over which benefit could be drawn. I think the defect the amendment seeks to remove must be apparent.
It should be the object of the Bill to give the most relief to those requiring it. As it stands, the Bill will benefit those who have been lucky enough to be in fairly constant employment, while the man who was unlucky enough to have very little employment will gain practically nothing. The Minister will probably tell me that this is not the only measure the Government have adopted to deal with the unemployment problem, and that there are certain monies provided for works of reconstruction, and for the relief of unemployment. Even though monies are provided there is no guarantee that the class of people I seek to bring in under the Bill will be employed. It is quite possible that the man with a fairly large number of stamps to his credit will be employed, and that the man with no stamps to his credit, will be left unemployed. I ask the Minister to accept the amendment.