HC Deb 30 November 1911 vol 32 cc666-70

(1) Subject to the provisions of this Act, the benefits conferred by this Part of this Act upon insured persons are—

  1. (a) Medical treatment and attendance, including the provision of proper and sufficient medicines, and such medical and surgical appliances as may be prescribed by regulations to be made by the Insurance Commissioners (in this Act called "medical benefit");
  2. (b) Treatment in sanatoria or other institutions or otherwise when suffering from tuberculosis, or such other diseases as the Local Government Board with the approval of the Treasury may appoint (in this Act called "sanatorium benefit");
  3. (c) Periodical payments whilst rendered unfit to provide their own maintenance by some specific disease or by bodily or mental disablement, of which notice has been given, commencing from the fourth day after being so rendered unfit, and continuing for a period not exceeding twenty-six weeks (in this Act called "sickness benefit");
  4. (d) In the case of the disease or disablement continuing after the determination of sickness benefit, periodical payments so long as so rendered unfit by the disease or disablement (in this Act called "disablement benefit");
  5. (e) Payment in the case of the confinement of the wife of an insured person, who is not herself an insured person, or of a woman who is an insured person, of a sum of thirty shillings (in this Act called "maternity benefit");
  6. (f) In the case of persons entitled under this Part of this Act to any of the further benefits mentioned in Part II. of the Fourth Scedule to this Act 667 (in this Act called "additional benefits") such of those benefits as they may themselves be entitled to.

(2) Subject to the provisions of this Part of this Act, the rates of sickness benefit and disablement benefit to which insured persons are entitled shall be the rates specified in Part I. of the Fourth Schedule to this Act.

(3) In the case of insured persons who have attained the age of seventy the right to sickness benefit and disablement benefit shall cease.

(4) No insured person shall be entitled to any benefit during any period when he is resident either temporarily or permanently outside the British Islands:

Provided that if a person is temporarily resident in the Isle of Man or the Channel Islands he shall, whilst so resident, be entitled to benefits other than medical benefit, and that if with the consent of the society or committee by which the benefit is administered, a person is temporarily resident outside the United Kingdom elsewhere than in the Isle of Man or the Channel Islands, the society or committee may allow him, whilst so resident, to continue to receive sickness or disablement benefit, and that a person resident out of the United Kingdom shall not be disentitled to maternity benefit in respect of the confinement of his wife, if his wife at the time of her confinement is resident in the United Kingdom.

(5) Where an insured person, having been in receipt of sickness benefit recovers from the disease or disablement in respect of which he receives such benefit, any subsequent disease or disablement, or a recurrence of the same disease or disablement, shall be deemed to be a continuation of the previous disease or disablement, unless in the meanwhile a period of at least twelve months has elapsed, and at least fifty weekly contributions have been paid by or in respect of him:

Provided that the benefit in respect of such subsequent or recurrent disease or disablement shall not commence to be payable before the date at which it would, apart from this provision, have commenced.

(6) Where a woman is herself entitled to maternity benefit she shall not be entitled to sickness benefit, disablement benefit, or medical benefit in respect of or consequent upon her confinement at and for a period of four weeks after her confinement:

Provided that this Sub-section shall not affect the right of such a woman if married or, if being a widow, she is confined of a posthumous child, to sickness benefit or disablement benefit during such period.

(7) Notwithstanding anything in this Part of this Act, no insured person shall be entitled—

  1. (a) to medical benefit during the first six months after the commencement of this Act;
  2. (b) to sickness benefit unless and until twenty-six weeks have elapsed since his entry into insurance, and at least twenty-six contributions have been paid by or in respect of him;
  3. (c) to disablement benefit unless and until one hundred and four weeks, have elapsed since his entry into insurance, and at least one hundred and four contributions have been paid by or in respect of him;
  4. (d) to maternity benefit unless and until twenty-six, or in the case of a voluntary contributor fifty-two weeks have elapsed since his entry into insurance, and at least twenty-six, or in the case of a voluntary contributor fifty-two, contributions have been paid by or in respect of him.

(8) As soon as a sum has been accumulated by investment sufficient to provide interest at three per cent. per annum on the amounts then standing to the credit of all approved societies the benefits pay able to insured persons under this Part of this Act shall be extended in such manner as Parliament may determine.

Amendments made: In paragraph (c) leave out the words "unfit to provide their own maintenance" and insert instead thereof the words "incapable of work."

Leave out the word "unfit" ["so rendered unfit"] and insert instead thereof the words "incapable of work."

In paragraph (d), leave out the word "unfit" ["rendered unfit"] and insert instead thereof the words "incapable of work."

In paragraph (e), after the word "wife" ["confinement of the wife"], insert the words "or, where the child is a posthumous child, of the widow."

Leave out the words "who is not herself an insured person."

Leave out the word "a" and insert instead thereof the words "any other."

In paragraph (f), leave out the word "themselves" ["may themselves"].

In Sub-section (4), leave out the words "British Islands" and insert instead thereof the words "United Kingdom."

After the word "shall" ["Channel Islands he shall"] insert the word "not.

Leave out the word "entitled" ["entitled to benefits"] and insert instead thereof the word "disentitled."

In Sub-section (5), leave out the words "Provided that the benefit in respect of such subsequent or recurrent disease or disablement shall not commence to be payable before the date at which it would, apart from this provision, have commenced."

In Sub-section (6) leave out the words, "is herself entitled to maternity benefit she shall not be entitled to sickness benefit, disablement benefit, or medical benefit in respect of or consequent upon her confinement at and for a period of four weeks after her confinement:

Provided that this Sub-section shall not affect the right of such a woman if married or, if being a widow, she is confined of a posthumous child, to sickness benefit or disablement benefit during such period," And insert instead thereof the words, confined of a child is herself an insured person, and is a married woman, or, if the child is a posthumous child, a widow, she shall be entitled to sickness benefit (as the case may be) in respect of her confinement in addition to the maternity benefit to which she or her husband may be entitled, but, save as aforesaid, a woman shall not be entitled to sickness benefit or disablement benefit for a period of four weeks after her confinement unless suffering from disease or disablement not connected directly or indirectly with her confinement. Medical benefit shall not include any right to medical treatment or attendance in respect of a confinement.

After Sub-section (6) insert,

(7) Where a pension or superannuation allowance payable in whole or in part as an additional benefit under this Part of this Act is provided, it may be made a condition of the grant of the pension or allowance that a member of the society shall, whilst in receipt of such pension or allowance, be excluded in whole or in part from his right to sickness benefit and disablement benefit, or to either of such benefits.

In Sub-section (7), paragraph (b), after the words "twenty-six," insert the word "weekly."

In paragraph (c), after the words "four" ["one hundred and four"], insert the word "weekly."

In paragraph (d), after the words "fifty-two" ["contributor fifty-two"], insert the word "weekly."

In Sub-section (8), leave out the words "a sum has been accumulated by investment sufficient to provide interest at three per cent. per annum on the amounts then standing to the credit of all approved societies"; and insert instead thereof the words, the sums credited to approved societies as reserve values in respect of persons who enter into insurance within one year after the commencement of this Act have been written off in manner provided by this part of this Act.—[Mr. Lloyd George.]