1906-11 Liberal Reforms

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Children

  • EDUCATION ACT 1906= provide free milk and meals to schoolchildren (Libs were inspired by local initiatives of early 20th century)
  • EDUCATION ACT, 1907= schools had to provide medical service and offer medical advice to parents+ the medical department set up within the Board of Education to supervise schools 
  • CHILDREN ACT, 1908defining domestic welfare of children by 1) penalising neglected parents 2) inspectioning nursing and private homes for children 3) banning the sale of alcohol and tobacco to children 4) setting up juvenile courts and remand houses

IMPORTANCE! Government started to see children as individuals. Compared to the 1800s when child labour was okay, there were changing attitudes towards public treatement of children in the 1900s- THOUGH some parents refused to do what government said= fears of growing government intervention in their lives= undermining role of the parents 

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Old Age paupers

  • OLD AGE PENSIONS ACT, 1908= over 70 years olds were given a non-contributory pension 

IMPORTANCE! Government took care of the eldery at a national level= work was not entirely up to family members, the Poor Law or charities- BUT the age to get benefits was very high

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The unemployed

  • LABOUR EXCHANGES ACT, 1909= it started the set up of labour exchanges that aimed to put the unemployed in a job + 1910- there were 83 labour exchanges and 1914- 450 labour exchanges in operation in England and Wales
  •  (part 2) NATIONAL INSURANCE ACT, 1911= employers, employees and government contributed to the insurance scheme with an equivalent amount of money + no benefit claimed for those fired due to misconduct + the benefit was 7s/week for up to 15 weeks 
  • develpment fund was introduced in governement to stimulate employment. 

IMPORTANCE: Labour exchanges were very successful, despite employer's doubts. Unemployed poor were no longer seen as lazy once they ''signed on'' at a labour exchange= they gained more dignity/respect. National insurance- the relief of poverty was a national, and not local, responsibility- BUT the insurance benefit only affected a minority: jobless traders temporarily, e.g. shipbuilders 

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Low wages

  • TRADER BOARDS ACTS, 1909= government set the minimum wage of those working in the box-making, tailoring and lace-making industries    
  • MINES ACT, 1912= same, affecting miners only  

IMPORATANCE: Government could hardly claim it was for laissez-faire attitudes- BUT  the Trade Boards Act only helped 200,000 workers. The minimum wage of others was decided by an employers' board + Legislation limited in scope and effect

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The poor, the idle and the ill

THE NATIONAL INSURANCE ACT (part 1), could be resumed in:

  • Compulsory contributory scheme for all workers= for workers between 16 and 70 earning less than £160/year + the cost of the insurance was divided- the employee paid more than the state or the employer+ workers were entitled to free medical treatment 
  • Benefits for jobless and the ill= there was sick pay of 10s/week and diasablement pay of 5s/week  
  • Maternity pay
  • Free treatment for serious health issues, such as tubercoulosis 

IMPORTANCE: the most ambitious reform + it brought discontent: workers dislike their wages being cut/ employers argued they were using profits to fund this/ the Webbs said the employees' contribution was a poll tax, rich should cover it instead

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