Mr. WORTHINGTON-EVANSasked the Secretary to the Treasury whether an 611 insured person who chooses the Amalgamated Society of Carpenters and Joiners as his approved society and makes voluntary contributions to it for increased sick benefit in addition to that payable under the National Insurance Act would be able to recover such increased sick benefit if the trade union refused, whether rightly or wrongly, to pay such benefit to him?
§ Mr. MASTERMANThe fact that a trade union becomes an approved society under the Act will not affect the rights or disabilities of the union or its members in respect of operations outside the Act, and any insured person who chooses his trade union as his approved society and makes voluntary contributions to it for sick benefit beyond the contributions and benefits within the Act, will be subject, in respect of those benefits, to the same general law relating to trade unions as controls their responsibilities in their present sickness benefits.
Mr. WORTHINGTON-EVANSCan the hon. Gentleman answer the question whether or not those additional extra benefits can be recovered?
§ Mr. MASTERMANI could not answer a question of that kind in question and answer, but trade unions will be in exactly the same position as now with regard to sickness benefits.
Mr. WORTHINGTON-EVANSHas the hon. Gentleman's attention been called to the case of Russell and the Amalgamated Society of Carpenters and Joiners, in which apparently it was held that they were irrecoverable?
§ Mr. MASTERMANMy attention has not been called to that.
§ Mr. J. WARDIs there any truth in the suggestion that trade unions generally avoid paying sick benefits?
§ Mr. MASTERMANI never heard of such an instance.
Mr. TYSON WILSONCan the hon. Gentleman give any instance where societies have refused to pay sick benefits to members who are justly entitled to them?
§ Mr. MASTERMANI do not think anyone in this House knows of any.