§ Mr. SNOWDENasked if, under the National Insurance scheme, the arrears for sickness insurance for both the workman and the employer which have accumulated during a period of unemployment are to be charged as arrears against the workman, and will he be required to pay both his own and employer's arrears of contribution; if so, what method will be adopted for collecting the arrears when employment is resumed; and will the arrears be deducted from wages by regular weekly deductions?
§ Mr. ILLINGWORTHA workman is not required to pay arrears of contributions, but if the total arrears from the time he first became insured amount to an average of four weeks per annum over the whole period he suffers a reduction of benefits. If the arrears amount to thirteen weeks per annum he is suspended from benefits. If, in order to avoid these consequences, he desires to pay off all or part of these arrears, he must pay off the employer's portion of the contributions as well as his own. The two concluding portions of the question do not arise.