Report of the Royal Commission on National Health Insurance

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Monograph

Identifikator:: 1740277147

URN:: urn:nbn:de:zbw-retromon-132094

Document type:: Monograph

Title:: Report of the Royal Commission on National Health Insurance

Place of publication:: London

Publisher:: Stationery Office

Year of publication:: 1926

Scope:: XII, 394 S.

Digitisation:: 2020

Collection:: Economics Books

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Document type:: Monograph

Structure type:: Chapter

Title:: Chapter VI. The financial burden of the existing social services

Collection:: Economics Books

MAJORITY REPORT. Ly; CHAPTER VI. THE FINANCIAL BURDEN OF THE EXISTING SOCIAL SERVICES. 139. In the preceding Chapters we have described in a general way the various health activities of the Central Departments and the Local Authorities, their relations to each other, and the lines along which, as we think, development should take place. But we have hinted that, in connexion with the various proposals for the extension of the Health Insurance Scheme which have been brought to our notice, serious regard should, in our opinion, now and for some time to come, be given to the present financial and industrial position of the country. Our proposals, because they are thus conditioned, may appear to be of a restricted nature to the numerous advocates of substantial development. We therefore, at this point, think it desirable to make a brief reference to these conditions and to indicate why in our opinion they necessarily limit present progress. THE BURDEN oF UNEMPLOYMENT. 140. The serious conditions prevailing in many of our indus- tries and the grave embarrassments under which the central and local finances of the country are alike labouring, are too well known to call for elaboration here. But lest we should be thought wanting in a proper appreciation of the value of a large advance in the public arrangements for promoting the health of the com- munity, we think it desirable to emphasise the factors which on any statesmanlike review of the problem before us point to the expediency of a policy of caution. In the foreground there obviously stands out the question of unemployment, which for a period of almost five years has doubtless been the gravest feature in the life of the community. The number of the unemployed is now about 1,200,000 and for the past two years has varied very little. The figure has been as high as 2,000,000. Even at 1,200,000 it is 11 per cent. of the working population registered at the Employment Exchanges. The maintenance of this huge number of workers and their dependants is a national burden, the responsibility for which has been accepted by the State and it is being borne at a cost of about £50 millions a year to the com- munity (of which £18 millions is paid from the Exchequer). In 1913, the corresponding figure was only £2 millions and in 1920-1 £14 millions. Even though the contributions of employed and employers to the Unemployment Fund make up a large part of the sum required, it is nevertheless true that the

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