§ Mr. BUTCHERasked whether domestic servants will be entitled, in return for their contributions under the National Insurance Bill, to receive any weekly payments during sickness or disablement so long as they are provided by their employer with board and lodging; and 32 whether, in order to entitle domestic servants to receive weekly payments during sickness or disablement, it would be necessary for their employer to refuse to provide them with board and lodging?
§ Mr. LLOYD GEORGEI will refer the hon. and learned Member to my reply to my hon. Friend the Member for the Colne Valley division on Thursday.
§ Mr. LONSDALEasked what rate of contribution will be required from apprentices and articled pupils under twenty-one who are paid nominal wages under the National Insurance scheme?
§ Mr. LLOYD GEORGEEmployed contributors under the age of twenty-one will pay, in the case of males 4d., in the case of females 3d. per week, whatever their rate of wages may be.
§ Viscount HELMSLEYWill these special arrangements be made for apprentices?
§ Mr. LLOYD GEORGEThe only special arrangement that could be made would be to involve a heavier charge upon the employer, and I do not think it would be fair to do that in the case of boys under twenty-one years of age. Another suggestion is you could put the burden on the State, but it would be hardly fair that a State burden should be put upon the fund for young people when we want all the money to insure old people.
§ Mr. LONSDALEasked whether it will be possible for an association not now established on a friendly society basis to qualify for recognition as an approved society under the National Insurance Bill?
§ Mr. LLOYD GEORGEYes, Sir; if it registers itself under any Act of Parliament.
§ Mr. STEWARTasked if any assurances have been given on behalf of the Government that, in the financial adjustment in connection with the framing of a Home Rule Bill, the State contribution towards the cost of national insurance will be treated as an Imperial charge, and that Ireland shall not be made specifically re. sponsible for any part of that contribution?
§ Mr. LLOYD GEORGENo such assurance has been given. I may remind the hon. Member, however, that in Germany the insurance scheme is under the control of the Empire, not of the separate States
Major HENDERSONasked how the contributions to the National Insurance scheme were to be paid by female domestic servants who lose their situations, having regard to the fact that in many cases employment is lost owing to the servant leaving her employment to attend a sick relative, and in many such cases her accumulated savings would be required to assist the sick relative?
§ Mr. LLOYD GEORGEAn employed contributer may miss during unemployment a proportion of contributions not exceeding on an average 6 per cent. without suffering any loss, reduction, or suspension of benefits. If he or she has missed on an average more than 6 per cent. of the contributions, but not more than 25 per cent., a reduction or postponement of sickness benefit will be incurred, in accordance with Schedule 5. Benefits will only be suspended if the arrears exceed 25 per cent. Moreover, a domestic servant in the position described, if her arrears exceeded one or both of these limits, could pay them up at any time within the same or the next calendar year.
§ Sir CHARLES HUNTERasked if, under the National Insurance Bill, the man who has subscribed all the years from the age of 16 to 65 without being sick any of the time is to receive no benefit at all?
§ Mr. LLOYD GEORGEThe Bill provides for an insurance against sickness, and the benefit is naturally not payable in the case of a person who has the good fortune to remain in good health.
§ Sir CHARLES HUNTERWould it not be possible to make some addition to the old age pensions?
§ Mr. LLOYD GEORGEThat is part of the object of the scheme, and I think if the hon. Gentleman refers he will find it is one of the additional benefits provided for.
§ Mr. CASSELasked whether it will be possible for existing industrial assurance companies and societies to become approved societies under the National Insurance Bill, provided that they keep separate accounts in respect of all State insurances; and, if not, what are the reasons for excluding such companies and societies?
§ Mr. LLOYD GEORGEAssociations of the character described can be recognised as approved societies if they conform to the conditions prescribed by Clauses 18 to 23 of the Bill, including the require- 34 ments that they shall not be worked for profit, and that funds raised and administered under the Bill shall be controlled by their members.
§ Mr. BARNESasked if the member of a superannuation fund, as provided for in Clause 19 of the National Insurance Bill, will have the same liberty of choice as the member of the trade union or friendly society as to receiving his sick benefit, either through such superannuation fund or, alternatively, through a friendly society or trade union of which he may be a member?
§ Mr. LLOYD GEORGEThe answer is in the affirmative.