UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE. PROPOSED CHANGES IN BENEFITS, CONTRIBUTIONS AND REMUNERATION LIMIT. Memorandum by the Minister of Labour.

-2- INCREASE OF RATES OF BENEFIT AND CONTRIBUTIONS 4. (a) I propose that the benefit rates should be raised as shown in Appendix hereto; the altered rates represent a 20% increase (or slightly more in some cases) for persons of 18 or over. The benefit rates for those under 18 were not increased when the rates for the older groups were increased in 1940 and I propose to bring the former more nearly into line by a percentage increase substantially higher than 20% for those aged 17. The proposed new rates preserv the existing principle of lower benefit rates for famales; the issue of equal rates for the sexes will have to be decided in relation to the Beveridge proposals (see following sub-paragraph).