§ 42 Sir HENRY CRAIKasked whether the amount for medical relief allotted to each locality will be based upon the number of insured persons in that locality; and, if so, whether an additional amount will be allotted in the case of rural localities where the amount of travelling expenses involved in such medical relief 1864 must necessarily exceed that which will be incurred in urban districts? In asking this question, I wish to apologise for the reason of its postponement which I so rashly suggested on the previous occasion.
§ Mr. MASTERMANI am sorry I could not give longer notice. The answer to the first part of the question is in the affirmative. The creation of a small special fund for mileage in districts exceptionally sparsely populated is under consideration; but no additional amount will be allotted for mileage in ordinary rural areas, and if a special fund is considered desirable for this purpose it must be formed by an insurance committee from the general amount available for medical remuneration within its area.
§ Sir H. CRAIKAm I to understand that the mileage allowance will be completely separate from the remuneration for professional services?
§ Mr. MASTERMANIt may be or it may not be. The remuneration may be inclusive of mileage, or it may be that a separate sum will be set apart for mileage. It is within the discretion of the insurance committee, acting in consultation with the local medical council.
§ Mr. C. BATHURSTWill not rural areas suffer compared with urban areas?
§ Mr. MASTERMANThere will be compensations in the rural districts, where the doctors will be doing their own dispensing and getting the profits on the dispensing, and if the hon. Gentleman's contention is correct that health is much better in the rural areas they will have less work to do.
§ Sir H. CRAIKIs this merely a casual and not a uniform system?
§ Mr. MASTERMANNo; it rests in the discretion of the local committee.