MARQUESS of TULLIBARDINEasked what is the number of lectures that have already been given on the National Insurance Act by the official lecturers in Scotland, with the dates and places and the names of the lecturers?
§ Mr. MASTERMANAbout 265 lectures and conferences have been held up to the present. The detailed information asked for in the last part of the question is not at present available.
§ Mr. MASTERMANIf there is any general desire for such a Return, I have no objection.
§ Mr. WATTHow many of these lectures were delivered in West Perthshire? Is the hon. Gentleman aware of the need for enlightenment in that constituency?
MARQUESS of TULLIBARDINEasked the Secretary to the Treasury if, in order that the public may take full advantage of the lectures that are delivered by the experts under the National Insurance Commissioners for Scotland, he will cause the dates, time, place, and names of the lecturers for the ensuing week to be published every Saturday in the Press?
§ Mr. MASTERMANThe conveners of each lecture or conference take what steps they think desirable to inform those for whom the meeting is designed of date, time, and place. I do not think that any further steps are necessary in the matter.
MARQUESS of TULLIBARDINEAs we are very desirous in West Perthshire of having a little enlightenment, will the hon. Gentleman have some of these meetings advertised, so that the electorate will know where they are? There seems to be no reason for secrecy.
§ Mr. MASTERMANI shall be glad to give information of any approaching lectures in West Perthshire.
Mr. WORTHINGTON-EVANSasked what printed or written instructions, documents, books, or other publications, public or private, were given to the lecturers appointed by the Insurance Commissioners to assist them in lecturing or answering questions on the National Insurance Act?
§ Mr. MASTERMANAll the lecturers received the "Instructions to Lecturers," which were confidential at the time, but have since been published in the White Paper, Cd. 6095, and the Scottish lecturers, who, as I have already stated, delivered four lectures before the issue of the printed instructions, received written instructions to the same general effect. While attending the course in London the lecturers were supplied with copies of the Act, together with a typewritten syllabus, and index of the course of instruction. The explanatory memoranda and the various White Papers presented to Parliament and published last year have also been given to them and in some cases published handbooks explanatory of the Act; but at no time have they been supplied with anything in the nature of a confidential handbook of information or secret instructions of any kind.
MARQUESS of TULLIBARDINEasked how many lectures the lecturers under the National Insurance Act are supposed to give during the week in return for their weekly salary?
§ Mr. MASTERMANThe exact number of lectures given in each week by lecturers engaged at a weekly salary must necessarily vary with the distance they have to travel and other circumstances.
MARQUESS Of TULLIBARDINEWill the hon. Gentleman give a Return of what they have done for their weekly salaries?
§ Mr. MASTERMANI will consider that.
§ Mr. HOGGEWill the hon. Gentleman give a Return of the number of questions asked by the Noble Lord?
§ Mr. EUGENE WASONasked what is the proportion to population of the official lecturers on the National Insurance Act in Scotland?
§ Mr. MASTERMANThere are seventeen Scottish lecturers, or one to about 280,000 of the population.
§ Viscount CASTLEREAGHWhat is the reason why there is a much greater proportion of lecturers appointed to Scotland and Ireland than to England?
§ Mr. MASTERMANI have explained that already. In England they are working mainly through the friendly societies, of which there is a network all over England. In Scotland and Ireland it is mainly pioneer work.