§ 37. Mr. CATORasked whether an employed person who will be seventy years of age within six months of 15th July last, and consequently can never receive benefits under the National Insurance Act, has nevertheless to pay contributions there-under or whether his employer has to do so; and, if so, then what is to become of the contributions and at what period will they be returned, if at all?
§ Mr. MASTERMANThe hon. Member is misinformed. Contributions are payable by and in respect of employed persons of this age under the provisions of Section 49 of the Act. As I have, however, stated in reply to questions by the hon. Members for West Hampshire, Darlington, Bridgwater, Devizes, and Henley on the 4th, 10th, 17th, 22nd, and 24th of this month, such persons will receive benefits. These will be such as their societies, or, in the case of deposit contributors, the Insurance Committee, may determine. The Com- 1853 missioners have issued alternative model schemes in Circular A.S. 29, of which I am sending a copy to the hon. Member. He will see that if a society adopts alternative No. 1 in that circular, a member now between sixty-nine and seventy will, after the six months' waiting period, receive payments in sickness at the rate of 6s. a week for the first thirteen weeks and 5s. afterwards, for as many weeks as contributions have been paid by or in respect of him, notwithstanding the fact that he is then over seventy years of age.