§ 20. Mr. CASSELasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether, in view of the fact that it has been decided to make sanatorium treatment available for all persons whether insured or not, and the injustice of making insured persons pay for benefits which uninsured persons also receive, he will consider the advisability of doing away with sanatorium benefit under the National Insurance Act, 1911, and substituting other benefits, such as paying sickness benefit from the first day of illness, sanatorium benefit being made available under a national scheme for all persons alike?
§ Mr. LLOYD GEORGEThe hon. and learned Member states the case rather more broadly than the facts warrant. The matter depends on the conditions of administration of the Grant, which the county councils have not yet submitted. In the absence as yet of any definite proposals on this point I am not in a position to give an answer to the question.
§ Mr. CASSELIs it proposed that uninsured persons shall make the same payments for benefits as insured persons? Is there any real substance in this thing?
§ Mr. LLOYD GEORGEThat is the question I have answered.
§ 34. Mr. RUPERT GWYNNEasked what is the position of an insurance committee which, acting under its statutory obligation in providing sanatorium benefit, exceeds the sums at its disposal; and will the committee be personally liable for the excess of expenditure, or will there be a reduction of sanatorium benefit or a levy on all insured persons in the area after the next valuation?
§ The FINANCIAL SECRETARY to the TREASURY (Mr. Masterman)It will be the business of the insurance committees so to arrange their expenditure as to keep within the limits of the funds which they will have available. The alternatives referred to in the question will not therefore arise.
§ Mr. RUPERT GWYNNEWhat will happen if they do not keep within their powers?
§ Mr. MASTERMANAny excess in regard to the expenditure of one year will be carried over and debited to another year.
§ 42. Mr. CASSELasked whether any insured person in England has yet received sanatorium benefit, and, if so, approximately how many persons have received such benefit?
§ Mr. MASTERMANArrangements have been made by a number of insurance committees for the immediate administration of sanatorium benefit, and I have no doubt that some cases have already been dealt with, but I am not in a position to give any estimate of the approximate number.
§ Mr. CASSELIs the right hon. Gentleman aware of any case?
§ Mr. MASTERMANI cannot find out without circularising all the insurance committees, and it would certainly be premature to do that.
§ Mr. JOHN WARDIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that the Staffordshire County Council have been advertising for applications for sanatorium benefit for at least three weeks?
§ Mr. MASTERMANI think most insurance committees are now either receiving or dealing with cases.