Liberal reforms 19061914

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Liberal reforms 1906-1914
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The Liberal Government

• Prime Minister 1906-1908 Henry
  Campbell-Bannerman. 1908-1916 Herbert Asquith.
• Chancellor of the Exchequer David Lloyd George.
  President of the Board of Trade Winston
  Churchill.

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David Lloyd George
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New Liberalism
Little government interference
Laissez-faire
Free Trade
Old Liberalism
Government playing a leading role in social reform
Poverty
Unemployment
Sickness
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Problem
House of Commons
Dominated by Liberals
Pass Bills
House of Lords
Dominated by Conservatives
Only allowed Bills through, and therefore to
become acts if they were to the benefit of the
country not just to the Liberal Party.
Threw out Education Bill
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Children

• 1906 Education (Provision of Meals) Act.
  Introduced by a Labour MP.
• 1907 Education Act Medical Inspection.
• 1908 Children and Young Persons Act protected
  persons No alcohol or cigarettes to be sold to
  under 14 Juvenile Courts and Borstals.
• Verdict

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The Elderly

• 1909 Old Age Pensions Act.
• Paid to over 70s on a sliding scale.
• Had to be of good character.
• 5 shillings a week to a single person, 7s/6p to a
  married couple.
• Criticisms numbers the same as poor relief
  amount the same as poor relief idea of deserving
  and undeserving poor still there.
• Defence pensions were a right not at discretion
  paid at post offices funded from national
  taxation not rates.

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Sickness
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• National Insurance Act 1911 (Part 1)
• Copied many of the ideas from Germany.
• Ninepence for fourpence Worker 4d employer
  3d government 2d.
• Free medical treatment and medicine, and cash
  benefits for sickness, disability and maternity.
• Criticisms Very unpopular resentment at paying
  4d flat rate what about those not ill?
• Defence 13 million workers insured did not
  cover wife and children. Established principle.
  LG greatest achievement.

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Unemployment

• National Insurance Act 1911 (Part 2)
• 2½d worker,employer and government.
• Workers received 7s a week if out of work, up to
  15 weeks.
• Criticisms only applied to certain trades
  shipbuilding, building variable employment.
  Only 2.25 million workers.
• Defence Start had been made and also established
  principle.
• 1909 Labour Exchange Act network.

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Trade Unions

• The Trades Dispute Act 1906 Taff Vale.
• The Trades Union Act 1913 reversed Osborne
  Judgement.

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Trade and Industry

• Industrial injury and occupational illness 1906
  Workmens Compensation Act 6 million extra
  workers were covered.
• Working conditions 1906 Merchant Shipping Act
  Shops Act Trade Board Act Sweated Trades.

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How well did these Acts deal with poverty?