edwardian social reforms

Question 1

education & children

Answer 1

schl feeding act 1908 -(arose out of national efficiency/boer war concerns) LEAs to provide FSM for poor children 14M by 1914 but permissive!
education act 1907 - set up schl medical service & made it compulsory for LEAs to medically inspect children -3/4s did & 2/3rds provided some medical treatment. -pointless as most w/c couldn’t afford treatment following inspection.
childrens charter 1908 -sig improved their rights
increased care & protection for children e.g child neglect became illegal
illegal to sell/give children alc/tobacco
distinction between children & adults in criminal law - set up a seperate criminal justice system for young offenders

Question 2

insurance

Answer 2

NI act 1911 - unemployment -weekly contributions by worker, employer& govt -7s/wk for 15wks
-covered 2.25M workers in trades that regularly experienced seasonal/cyclical unemploy
-nothing for dependants, for ST unemploy, most workers not covered had to rely on savings or TU support
sickness NI 1911
-4d, 3d, 2d to finance limited healthcare
maternity grant of 30s for wives, free medical treatment w a doctor & disability benefit
-covered 13M who got 10s/wk 13wks
old age pensions 1908 - 5s/wk or 7s 6d for a married couple -enhanced dignity of aged poor & removed stigma of PL.
1915 -1M in reciept
reduced no. of paupers from 900,000 to 750,000 1910-4
BUT pension insufficient & 300,000 remained on PL, initially subject to having a good character, only poorest got max, only available at 70 but most w/c ppl had died before then as they worked long hard lives.

Question 3

trade union reforms (put in work para)

Answer 3

Trades disputes act 1906 - reversed taff vale & gave unions civil immunity
trade union act 1913 reversed osbourne judgement/case 1909 which stopped TU funds going to lab party (secret electoral pact & progressive alliance w lab)

Question 4

work

Answer 4

1909 - DLG set up trade boards in 4 of the most exploitative industries, w low wages & no union to protect them. -aimed to improve pay & inspect conditions. initially 200,000 but by 1913 -6 industries & 1M coal miners also protected.
BUT 30% of GBs workforce suffered low wages & many exploited non-unionised trades/workers were excluded. trade boards also set the min wage where they could afford not where the acc cost of living was.
lab exchanged improved -2M registered, 430 exchanges finding 3000 jobs per day BUT only 1/4 acc found work.
coal mines act 1908 & 10 - better safety regs & made working day underground 8hrs
payment of mps act 1911 -gave them an annual salary of £400