§ Mr. BUTCHERasked whether, under the National Insurance Bill as amended on Report, an insured person who, owing to age or sickness, becomes unable to earn more than a half or a third of his or her former remuneration, will receive any 1029 disablement benefit; and whether, in order to entitle an insured person to disablement benefit, it is necessary that such persons should be totally incapable of work and of earning wages?
Mr. McKINNON WOODThe interpretation of these words will be left to the friendly societies themselves. If the hon. and learned Member will refer to what was said by my right hon. Friend on the Amendment of the hon. Member for Haddingtonshire, on the 17th July, he will find fully stated the views of the Government on the subject.
§ Mr. BUTCHERMay I ask whether it is the view of the right hon. Gentleman that the provision in the amended Bill does not prevent a man who is not earning more than half his former wages from getting disablement benefit?
Mr. McKINNON WOODThere will be nothing to prevent friendly societies from making such arrangements as may seem desirable to them to make.