Letters and Papers Concerning the Trans-Persian Railway and Other Railways in Persia [‎133r] (265/442)

1891
Oral Answers. i 0 J ULY 1912 Oral Answers.
1592
weekly deduction for Health Insurance
fx-om their wages?
Mr. MASTERMAN: The answer is in
the affirmative.
Ckofteks.
58. MARQUESS of TULLIBARDINE
asked the amount of medical and sickness
benefits than a crofter can obtain in return
for two months’ compulsory contributions
when employed, if he is not a voluntary
contributor paying 7d. a week during the
rest of the year ?
Mr. MASTERMAN: If such a person
becomes a deposit contributor the amount
so contributed will be transferred to the
local insurance committee, and that com
mittee, under Section 42 (e) of the Act, may
give him such benefits, subject to such
conditions, as they decide.
MARQUESS of TULLIBARDINE : Can
the right hon. Gentleman say if he is able
to get any sickness benefit if he has only
contributed for two months?
Mr. MASTERMAN: That will make an
aggregate of about six shillings, and it
depends w'hether they chose to give him
sickness or medical benefit.
Mr. WORTHINGTON - EVANS : Will
there not be a sum of four shillings for
administration ?
Mr. MASTERMAN: I do not think
there wdll be four shillings deducted from
six shillings.
Mr. WORTHINGTON-EVANS: How r
much will it be?
Mr. MASFERMAN: That wdll depend
on the Regulations made by the Insurance
Commissioners.
MARQUESS of TULLIBARDINE:
Does it include sanatorium benefit ?
Mr. MASTERMAN : It includes the
possibility of sanatorium benefit.
surance Act is to be construed as a con
tract between the Government and insured
persons; (44) whether he will obtain the
opinion of the Law Officers of the Crown
as to whether contributions can legally be
deducted from the wages of insured
persons before it is known whether the
medical benefit promised under the
National Insurance Act will be able to be
given ?
Mr. MASTERMAN : The Act requires
contributions to be paid in respect of em
ployed contributors and authorises deduc
tions from their w T ages without reference
to the exact benefits to which they may at
any time be entitled. The Act definitely
states that medical attendance and medi
cine or an alternative of monetary pay
ment will be provided from 15th January
onw r ards, and there is no doubt at all that
one of these alternatives will be provided
for insured persons. I am advised that
the effect of the law is so clear that there
w r ould be no justification for occupying
the time of the Law Officers of the Crown
by referring a case to them, or for pro
moting a test action, though it would, of
course, be open to any hon. Member who
reads the Act otherwise to see that the
matter is brought before the Courts.
Medical Benefit.
61 . Sir PHILIP MAGNUS asked the Sec
retary to the Treasury whether, with re
ference to the letter of the Insurance Com
missioners of 26th June, in reply to that
of the British Medical Association of 29th
February, in which the Commissioners
state that the Government would be will
ing, if assured of the co-operation of the
medical profession, to advise Parliament to
make extra provision for meeting the cost
of medical benefit, he will now state the
amount of extra provision which the Gov
ernment is prepared to ask Parliament to
sanction ?
Contributions.
42, 43 and 44. Mr. GODFREY LOCKER-
LA MPSON asked (42) whether the Gov
ernment will pay the expenses of a test
case before the Courts as to whether con
tributions can legally be enforced under
the National Insurance Act before it is
known whether insured persons will be
provided with medical benefit; (43)
whether the right hon. Gentleman will
obtain the opinion of the Law Officers of
the Crown as to; whether the National In
Mr. MASTERMAN : The subject is under
consideration, and no statement can at
present be made on it.
Sir P. MAGNUS: May I ask when it is
likely that a statement can be made?
Mr. MASTERMAN: I expect shortly.
It is in part dependent, as the hon. Gentle
man knows, on the results of the Com
mittee Avhich is now sitting and inquiring
into the whole matter.