§ Viscount WOLMERasked the Secretary to the Treasury when he will state the names and addresses of the official lecturers appointed to expound the National Insurance Act and of all officials so far appointed in connection with that Act, the nature of their respective qualifications, by whom they were recommended, and by whom they were selected?
§ The FINANCIAL SECRETARY to the TREASURY (Mr. Masterman)The persons appointed have been selected by the four National Commissions—English, Scottish, Irish, and Welsh. For the rest of the 988 Noble Lord's questions I would refer him to the reply I gave on Thursday last to the hon. Gentlemen the Members for Colchester and Mid-Armagh.
§ Viscount WOLMERIn answer to my question, can the hon. Gentleman say when he will publish the names and addresses?
§ Mr. MASTERMANIt is understood that they were to appear in the White Paper.
§ Viscount WOLMERDoes not the hon. Gentleman think it desirable that this, information should be before the House previous to our discussing the Supplementary Estimates?
§ Mr. MASTERMANI had it ready, and it would have been before the House, but for the additional promise made in response to an appeal opposite, that we should give the names and addresses of the gentlemen in question.
§ Viscount WOLMERWill the hon. Gentleman publish what information he has before we discuss the Supplementary Estimates.
§ Mr. MASTERMANI think I can undertake to have it ready in time.
§ Lord HUGH CECILWill the hon. Gentleman postpone the Supplementary Estimates until he can publish the information?
§ Mr. ORMSBY-GOREasked how many lecturers have been appointed by the National Health Insurance Commission (Wales); at what salaries; how many such lecturers can speak Welsh; and whether they have addressed public as well as private meetings to explain the Act?
§ Mr. MASTERMANThirteen lecturers have been appointed by the Welsh Insurance Commission at a salary of five guineas a week. Eight of these are able to speak Welsh. With regard to the character of the lectures I beg to refer the hon. Member to the White Paper which I am laying on the Table of the House.
MARQUESS of TULLIBARDINEMay I ask the hon. Gentleman whether the lecturers have got to do full time during the week—have they to lecture every day?
§ Mr. MASTERMANI think they have to do a full week's work.
§ Mr. REMNANTMay I ask whether 15s. a day is allowed for travelling expenses?
§ Mr. MASTERMANI think there is some allowance.
Captain CRAIGDoes a full week's work under the National Insurance Act include Sunday?
§ Mr. GIBBSasked the Secretary to the Treasury whether Government officials (established or unestablished) are permitted to leave their duties before the close of official hours in order to be present at preparatory lectures, in order to qualify them to become lecturers either for the National Insurance Commissioners or for the Liberal Insurance Committee?
§ Mr. MASTERMANI have no knowledge as to any practice of Government Departments to allow officials to leave their duties before the close of office hours. No Government officials are being trained to become lecturers by attendance at the preparatory lectures.
§ Sir PHILIP MAGNUSasked the Secretary to the Treasury whether the official lecturers appointed to explain the details of the National Insurance Act have been instructed to inform insured persons as to the conditions under which they can obtain, in cases of sickness, medical attendance from duly qualified practitioners; and whether, having regard to the fact that these conditions are not yet settled, he will consider the advisability of postponing the lectures now being provided at the public expense till such time as shall enable the Commissioners to state whether, and, if so, under what arrangements the members of the medical profession have expressed their willingness to co-operate in giving effect to the Act?
§ Mr. MASTERMANThe official lecturers have been given careful instructions to explain the Act as it stands on the Statute Book. The Act allows alternatives in respect of medical benefit: either that it shall be given from a panel, with free choice of doctors, or that alternative arrangements shall be made by the Insurance Committees or the Commissioners, or that medical benefit shall be suspended and the money equivalent returned to the insured person.
§ Sir PHILIP MAGNUSasked the Secretary to the Treasury whether he can furnish a list of the times and places at 990 which the official lectures on the Insurance Act are delivered in London and elsewhere?
§ Mr. MASTERMANThe number of official lectures on the Insurance Act at present arranged for is too great for me to read them in an answer. I shall be glad to communicate places and dates to the hon. Member if he wishes for them.
Mr. WORTHINGTON-EVANSDoes the hon. Gentleman remember that he made the same promise four or five days ago in this House to me to send me the list, and he has not done so?
§ Mr. MASTERMANIt was only this morning I was going through the list to get the information.
§ Mr. KINGWould the hon. Gentleman, send this information to all the Members of the Opposition, so that they may have the opportunity of really understanding the Act?
§ Mr. NORMAN CRAIGWould the hon. Gentleman, instead of making personal answers to individual Members, circulate the information with the Votes, so that everybody may see it?
§ Mr. MASTERMANI will consider that.
§ Sir PHILIP MAGNUSasked the Secretary to the Treasury whether Members of this House, medical practitioners, and medical students, to whom a knowledge of the details of the Insurance Act is of especial value, are, or will be, admitted to the lectures of the official lecturers?
§ Mr. MASTERMANIf any body of medical practitioners or other persons affected by the Act apply for the attendance of an official lecturer the Commissioners will be happy to consider their request.
§ Sir P. MAGNUSIs there any objection to the attendance of medical students at these lectures?
§ Mr. MASTERMANIf any of them wish to do so, and send in applications, they will be considered.
§ Mr. H. W. FORSTERasked if the Scottish Insurance Commissioners have inserted in newspapers advertisements of lectures on the National Insurance Act to be given by lecturers appointed by them; whether those meetings were open to the public; and who paid for the advertisements and the hire of the hall?
§ Mr. MASTERMANOn the question of publicity I would refer the hon. Gentleman to my answer of Wednesday last, and to the White Paper shortly to be issued. Model Bills for display have been sent to Organisers of Lectures, emphasising the non-political and non-controversial character of the lectures. All other expenses of printing, advertising in newspapers, hire of hall, etc., have been borne by the conveners of the gathering.
§ Mr. FORSTERHave any of those meetings been convened by the Scottish Commissioners?
§ Mr. MASTERMANI cannot say without notice.
Mr. ALAN SYKESasked whether the Welsh Insurance Commissioners invite more than one gentleman at a time in each district to convene a meeting to be addressed by their representative; and, if they only ask one at a time, on what principle do they select the first to be asked?
§ Mr. MASTERMANInvitations were sent to the persons mentioned in my answer to the question of the hon. Member on the 21st instant to communicate with the Welsh Commissioners if they were willing to co-operate in arranging conferences to be addressed by official lecturers.
Mr. A. SYKESMay I ask an answer to my question, whether they invite more than one gentleman at a time in each district?
§ Mr. MASTERMANI think I stated in my previous answer that the questions were addressed to certain classes of persons, and that if there were more than one that probably they were sent to all.