§ 82. Mr. THOMAS LEWISasked the Minister of Health if, with a view to mitigating hardship among persons who are genuinely unemployed, he will introduce the necessary legislation to provide for the payment of full sickness and disablement benefits during the further extended year, in place of half sickness and disablement benefits as provided under Section 1, Sub-section (3), of the National Health Insurance Act, 1928, without the imposition of the existing conditions as to previous insurability and payment of contributions, but subject only to evidence of genuine unemployment throughout the normal free period of insurance?
§ Mr. GREENWOODI cannot undertake to introduce legislation to the effect suggested by my hon. Friend.
§ Mr. LEWISWill the right hon. Gentleman issue Regulations which will 1495 enable the amount to be increased to threequarters? Under the Act the societies must not reduce the benefit by more than a half, but he has power to give more. Will he consider that point?
§ Mr. GREENWOODI would remind the hon. Member that but for the Regulations I made these people would be receiving no benefit at all. Having regard to the limited funds of approved societies, it is very difficult to agree that members who have not paid a single contribution for years should permanently receive full benefit.
§ Mr. LEWISBut is the Minister not aware that according to the Act they must not reduce the benefit to more than a half?
§ Mr. GREENWOODI am pointing out to the hon. Member that benefits would have ceased to exist if it had not been for my recent Regulation.