140

MAJORITY REPORT.

the question of extensions since, if rates of contribution are to
remain unchanged, any extension the charges for which fall
equally on the man’s and the woman’s contribution must be
limited by the smaller sum. Moreover, in that case a substantial
 margin in the man’s contribution would remain unapplied.
 On the other hand if an extension can be planned
which falls mainly on the man’s contribution, difficulty is
avoided. It will be seen later that this consideration among
others drives us to a scheme of allowances for dependants in
preference to increases in the normal rates of benefit for all
insured persons.

INCREASE OF STANDARD RATES OF SICKNESS BENEFIT.

310. We first considered the possibility of raising the standard
rates of sickness benefit for men and women respectively to the
basic rates of unemployment benefit, namely, 18s. and 15s. a
week respectively. We assumed that in the first two years of
insurance the present reduced sickness benefit of 9s. and 7s. 6d.
a week respectively would be retained, these being one-half of
the proposed full rates. We assumed, further, that the rates of
disablement benefit would be increased to 9s. in the case of men,
thus retaining the present relation between sickness and disablement
 benefit for men. In the case of women, where the available
 margin of the contribution was relatively very small, we
have for that reason assumed that disablement benefit must
remain at its present figure of 7s. 6d. a week. On this basis the
rate of disablement benefit would be one-half the rate of sickness
benefit for each sex.
311. One disadvantage of this proposal is that the women
would receive no increase in disablement benefit, which would
remain less than that of men by 1s. 6d. whereas under the present
arrangement both sexes receive the same rate. But there is a
larger difficulty on financial grounds. From the report of the
Actuarial Committee it will:be seen that the contribution required
for this scheme would be 9-01d. for men and 9:09d. for women.
So far as men are concerned the scheme could therefore be met
out of the present contribution; so far as women are concerned
it could not. We are forced, therefore, to abandon this proposal
not only on the ground that it involves for lower benefits a
higher rate of contribution for women than for men, but also
and mainly, because it would involve an increase in the present
contribution for women.

INCREASE OF STANDARD RATE oF DISABLEMENT BENEFIT.

312. As an alternative to the above proposal we have considered
 the possibility of an increase of disablement benefit only.
It was suggested to us by some witnesses (e.g. Cohen, App.
LXXVI, 9: Q. 19,802; National Association of Trade Union