Liberal Reforms 1906-1914

Question 0

What did the 1906 (meals) Education act do?

Answer 0

Local authorities able to give free school meals for needy children so they could concentrate more.

Question 1

When were the Education Acts passed?

Answer 1

(Meals) 1906 and (medical inspection) 1907.

Question 2

What were the strengths of the 1906 (meals) Education act?

Answer 2

By 1914 14 million free school meals a year being provided by LEAs.

Question 3

What were the weaknesses of the 1906 (meals) education act?

Answer 3

Not compulsory.

Not all LEAs used this power before 1914, 1913 about 1/2 providing free meals.

Question 4

What was the 1907 (medical inspection) Education act?

Answer 4

Set up School Medical Service.

Compulsory for LEAs to medically inspect school children.

Question 5

What were the strengths of the 1907 (medical inspection) Education act?

Answer 5

By 1914, 3/4 LEAs providing free medical inspection.

2/3 some form of free medical treatment.

Question 6

What were the weaknesses of the 1907 (medical inspection) Education act?

Answer 6

Only cursory check and not always treatment.

Poor unable to afford to treat conditions revealed by inspection.

Question 7

When was the Children Act passed?

Answer 7

1908.

Question 8

What was the Children Act?

Answer 8

Parental neglect illegal.
Set up juvenile courts for young offenders, children unable to go to prison.
Illegal to sell tobacco and alcohol to children.

Question 9

What were the strengths of the 1908 Children Act?

Answer 9

State ensured minimum standard of protection & care for children.
Child and adult offenders separated.

Question 10

What were the weaknesses of the 1908 Children Act?

Answer 10

Didn’t eradicate the exploitation of children.

Question 11

When was the Old Age Pensions Act introduced?

Answer 11

1908.

Question 12

What did the Old Age Pensions Act do?

Answer 12

Provided pension of 5 Shillings (5s) a week for a single couple.
7s6d for a married couple.

Question 13

What were the strengths of the 1908 Old Age Pensions Act?

Answer 13

‘Non-contributory’, payed by taxes.
Payed by state through local post offices not Poor Law, to avoid people being too ashamed.
About 1 million pensioners by 1915.
(Still in place today.)

Question 14

What were the weaknesses of the 1908 Old Age Pensions Act?

Answer 14

Only to elderly poor, over 70 on very low income.
Only poorest got the full amount of the pension.
Pension bare minimum for survival.

Question 15

When were Trade Boards set up?

Answer 15

1909.

Question 16

What were the strengths of the Trade Boards?

Answer 16

Helped maintain conditions in trades like tailoring and lace-making where there was no trade unions.

Question 17

What were the weaknesses of the Trade Boards?

Answer 17

Only covered ‘sweated trades’, left out other low paid workers eg. In farming.
Too few inspectors to fully enforce.

Question 18

When were Labour exchanges introduced?

Answer 18

1909.

Question 19

What were Labour Exchanges?

Answer 19

Set up places for people looking for a job and employers to meet.

Question 20

What were the strengths of the Labour Exchanges?

Answer 20

2 million workers had registered by 1914.

430 exchanges finding 3,000 jobs a day.

Question 21

What were the weaknesses of the Labour Exchanges?

Answer 21

For every worker that found a job 3 didn’t.

Not creating jobs for unemployed only helping job market operate more smoothly.

Question 22

When was the National Insurance (unemployment) Act introduced?

Answer 22

1911.

Question 23

What was the National Insurance (unemployment) Act?

Answer 23

Sate compelled workers & employers in some trades to contribute weekly to national insurance fund. State topped it up from taxation
Enabled workers to receive weekly benefit of unemployed.

Question 24

What were the strengths of the National Insurance (unemployment) Act?

Answer 24

Covered 2.25 million.
Provided 7s/week benefit up to 15 weeks.
Enabled families to avoid destitution whilst breadwinner found new job.

Question 25

What were the weaknesses of the National Insurance (unemployment) Act?

Answer 25

Only some trades, known for seasonal or cyclical unemployment eg. Farm labour & Shipbuilding.

Question 26

When was the National Insurance (sickness) Act introduced?

Answer 26

1911.

Question 27

What was the National Insurance (sickness) Act?

Answer 27

Compulsory scheme where workers, employers & state paid weekly into national fund.
Worker 4d, employer 3d and state 2d.

Question 28

What were the strengths of the National Insurance (sickness) Act?

Answer 28

Covered 13 million workers.
Paid weekly sickness benefit of 10s a week for 13 weeks then 5s for further 13 weeks.
Free treatment for those with TB.
Maternity grant for women, disability benefit & free medical treatment with approved doctor.

Question 29

What were the weaknesses of the National Insurance (sickness) Act?

Answer 29

Only workers earning below £160 pa.
Only workers aged 16-60.
Only covered the worker not the family.

Question 30

When was the Workman’s Compensation Act introduced?

Answer 30

1906.

Question 31

What were the strengths of the Workman’s Compensation Act?

Answer 31

Compensated workers for work-based accidents & diseases.

Question 32

What were the weaknesses of the Workman’s Compensation Act?

Answer 32

Not easy to prove injuries & health due to work.

Question 33

When was the Shops Act introduced?

Answer 33

1911.

Question 34

What were the strengths of the Shops Act?

Answer 34

Wednesday weekly 1/2 day holiday for shop workers.

Question 35

What were the weaknesses of the Shop Act?

Answer 35

Employers could make up holiday with longer hours on other days.

Question 36

When were the Coal Mines Acts introduced?

Answer 36

1908 & 1911.

Question 37

What were the strengths of the Coal Mines Acts?

Answer 37

Fixed length of working day underground to 8 hours.

Improved safety regulations.

Question 38

What were the weaknesses of the Coal Mines Acts?

Answer 38

Didn’t improve pay.