§ 79. Mr. CHARLES BATHURSTasked the Secretary to the Treasury whether, in view of the fact that a domestic servant is compelled by the National Insurance Act to contribute 3d. per week towards the cost of health insurance and the master or mistress is compelled subject to a penalty to collect that sum on behalf of the State by deduction from the servant's wages, he will authorise the withdrawal or modification of Official Explanatory Leaflet No. 16 of the National Health Insurance Commission, in which it is stated that a contribution of 6d. a week must be paid for each servant by the master or mistress who will have a right to take off 3d. from the servant's wages?
§ Mr. MASTERMANThe employer of a domestic servant is not compelled, subject to a penalty, to collect 3d. per week by deduction from the servant's wages. Under Section 4 (2) of the Act he is "entitled to recover from the contributor by deduction from wages or otherwise the amount of the contributions paid by him on behalf of the contributor." The official leaflet stating the law on the matter is entirely correct, and any statement that a penalty is imposed on the employer who does not recover the amount from the servant would be entirely incorrect.
§ Mr. C. BATHURSTApart from the question of penalties, is the hon. Gentleman aware that this leaflet is creating the impression that there is no compulsory contribution in the case of domestic servants, and that any deduction from their wages would be an act of meanness on the part of their mistresses?
§ Mr. MASTERMANThe leaflet states quite clearly that the employer has the right to take threepence off the employé's wages. He also has the right, if he chooses, to pay the contribution himself, and there is no penalty if he does pay the contribution.
§ Mr. C. BATHURSTIs that not a grossly unfair way of expressing it?
§ Mr. MASTERMANIt is an exact statement of the Insurance Act as passed by the House of Commons last December. [HON. MEMBERS: "No."]
§ Mr. LLOYDWas not this leaflet deliberately worded like that, so as to give an erroneous impression?
§ Mr. MASTERMANThis leaflet, as is the case with all our leaflets, is deliberately worded to explain the exact Jaw to the people affected.
§ Sir C. KINLOCH-COOKEIs there any penalty attaching to a servant who refuses to pay this tax?
§ Mr. MASTERMANIn the first place, that is not the question; secondly, it was answered only yesterday in reply to a question by the hon. Member for Shropshire; and, thirdly, there is no question of the servant refusing to pay because the the servant has not got to pay because the employer has to pay.