§ 44. Mr. GODFREY LOCKER-LAMPSONasked whether the National Insurance Act is to be construed as a contract between insured persons and the societies to which they belong?
§ Mr. MASTERMANI am advised that no Act of Parliament can properly be described as a contract. There is a contract between an approved society and its members, and one term of the contract is that the society shall provide the benefits conferred by the Act.
§ Mr. G. LOCKER-LAMPSONWould a person be able to sue the society?
§ Mr. MASTERMANI must have notice of that question.
§ 47. Mr. GODFREY LOCKER-LAMPSONasked whether the contributions of insured persons are to be construed as part of a contract or as taxes?
§ Mr. MASTERMANContributions are payable by virtue not of a contract, but of a statutory obligation, and inasmuch as the payments enure to the benefit of the person paying them and do not go into the Exchequer, they are not analogous to taxes.
§ Sir J. D. REESWhat is the distinction between an obligatory contribution and a tax?
§ Mr. MASTERMANI think the hon. Member will find that I have stated that distinction already if he will do me the honour of studying my answer.