§ Mr. CHARLES BATHURSTasked the Secretary to the Treasury whether it will be possible for nurses, domestic servants, secondary school teachers, and other classes of workers who belong to special societies limited to such workers in one country of the United Kingdom, but liable to be transferred in the course of their employment to another part, to retain the membership of their original society in their own country, and by a system of adjustment based on a bank clearing house system to make their contributions to and obtain their benefits from the corresponding society in the country in which they are for the time being actually employed?
§ Mr. MASTERMANI would refer the hon. Member to the detailed answers given to my hon. and gallant Friend the Member for Kirkcudbright on 2nd May, and my 1913 hon. Friend the Member for Oswestry on 2nd and 13th May. The society can retain as members those who move their residence from one part of the United Kingdom to another, and can arrange such machinery as it may find convenient for administering benefits, i.e., through the head office for members resident in all parts of the United Kingdom, or through local branches and agents. Separate accounts would require to be kept for members resident in different parts of the United Kingdom and when members moved their residence across, their transfer values would be carried from the one fund of the society to the other.
§ Mr. C. BATHURSTasked whether, in the case of nurses, secondary school teachers, and other professional workers, who desire to form their own separate societies under the National Insurance Act in order to provide benefits suited to their special requirements, it will be necessary to limit the membership of such societies to the geographical areas of England, Scotland, Wales, and Ireland, respectively, and to prevent the formation of such societies in countries like Wales if the number of persons employed there in such professions does not amount to 5,000?
§ Mr. MASTERMANEither one society for the four parts of the United Kingdom or a separate society for each part could be formed. Separate funds would require to be kept in any case, and if the number of members in one part of the United Kingdom were less than 5,000 it would be necessary for them to be associated or grouped under the provisions of Section 39 for the purpose of valuation.
Mr. WORTHINGTON-EVANSWill it be possible for a society in Wales with less than 5,000 members to be grouped in a society in England with more than 5,000 members?
§ Mr. MASTERMANI think, for the purposes of valuation, not.
Mr. WORTHINGTON-EVANSThen will they have to be grouped with some other societies not containing the same class?
§ Mr. MASTERMANWith some other society, for the purpose of valuation in the country in which they are operating.
§ Mr. W. THORNEDoes the right hon. Gentleman say that if you have members 1914 in England and Ireland they can be part and parcel of one group for valuation purposes?
§ Mr. MASTERMANNo, just the opposite. For valuation purposes they will have to be separate.