HC Deb 30 November 1911 vol 32 cc672-4

(1) Where an insured person being a member of an approved society is in arrear to an amount greater than thirteen contributions a year on the average since his entry into insurance, his right to benefits under this Part of this Act other than medical benefit, sanatorium benefit, and maternity benefit shall be suspended, and where he is in arrears to an amount greater than twenty-six contributions a year on the average since his entry into insurance his right to medical benefit, sanatorium benefit, and maternity benefit shall be suspended, and at the expiration of the next exceeding calendar year any sums credited to the society in respect of him, calculated in the prescribed manner, shall, if his right to benefits still continues to be suspended, be carried to such account for the benefit of the society or any other society to which he may subsequently be transferred and dealt with in such manner as may be prescribed:

Provided that if at any time after such suspension he becomes employed within the meaning of this Part of this Act he shall be entitled to benefits at such rate, after the lapse of such time, and after the payment of such number of contributions, as would have been applicable to his case had he not previously been an insured person, but if he so elects at any time the benefits to which he is entitled shall be such as he would be entitled to, were the period from the time of his original entry into insurance taken as a whole.

(2) Where an employed contributor claiming sickness benefit is at the date of such claim in arrears, but the arrears are less than as aforesaid, then the rate of sickness benefit shall be reduced to a sum not less than five shillings a week, or the time when sickness benefit commences deferred, proportionately to the amount of arrears in accordance with the table in the Fifth Schedule to this Act.

(3) Where a voluntary contributor is in arrears he shall be liable to such proportionate reduction of benefits as may be prescribed.

(4) In calculating arrears of contributions no account shall be taken of any arrears accruing—

  1. (a) during any period when the person in question has been or but for this Section or any other provision of the Act disentitling a person to such benefit would have been, in receipt of sickness benefit or disablement benefit; or
  2. (b) in the case of a woman who, being an insured person, is herself entitled to maternity benefit during two weeks before and four weeks after her confinement, or in the case of maternity benefit payable in respect of the posthumous child of an insured person during the period subsequent to the father's death; or
  3. (c) in the case of an employed contributor during the first twelve months after the commencement of this Act; or
  4. (d) during any period when the contributor (if an employed contributor) is under the age of sixteen years;
but, save as aforesaid, contributions shall be deemed to be payable in respect of every week from the date of entry into insurance.

(5) Where an insured person has paid any arrears of contributions payable by or in respect of him which accrued during the calendar year current at the date of payment and the previous calendar year, he shall be treated for the purposes of this Section as if the arrears so paid had never become due:

Provided that if such person is at the date of payment or subsequently within one month thereafter becomes unfit to provide for his own maintenance through disease or disablement, he shall for the purposes of this Section be deemed to be still in arrear in respect of the amount so paid until after the expiration of one month from the date of such payment.

(6) Any approved society may, if they think fit, excuse any part of the arrears which may have accrued due by or in respect of any member not exceeding such part as would have been payable by the employer had the member been in his employment, and in such case the amount of the arrears of that member shall be reduced accordingly.

Amendments made: In Sub-section (1), after the word "thirteen," insert the word "weekly."

After the words "twenty-six," insert the word "weekly."

Leave out the words, "next succeeding."

After the word "year" ["succeeding calendar year"], insert the words "next after the date when he becomes suspended from all benefits."

Leave out the word "such" ["after such suspension"].

After the word "suspension," insert the words "from any such benefits."

After the word "to" ["entitled to benefits"], insert the word "those."

In Sub-section (4), paragraph (c), leave out the word "or."

Leave out paragraph (d).

In Sub-section (5), leave out the words "unfit to provide for his own maintenance through," and insert instead thereof the words "incapable of work by reason of."

In Sub-section (6), leave out the words "they think" ["if they think fit"], and insert instead thereof the words "it thinks."

After the word "member" ["in respect of any member"], insert the words "who is an employed contributor during any period of unemployment."

Leave out the words "been in his" ["in his employment"], and insert instead thereof the words "continued in his last."

At the end of the Clause add, (7) The average amount of arrears for the purposes of this section shall be calculated hi such manner as the Insurance Commissioners may prescribe.—[Mr. Lloyd George.]