61 and 62. Mr. MacCALLUM SCOTTasked the Secretary to the Treasury (1) whether, in the opinion of the Insurance Commissioners, the system of medical benefit successfully worked for the past ten years by the Scottish Clerks' Association, whereby members called in their own doctors and had refunded to them by the society the doctors' fees and cost of medicine up to 4s. per visit is a suitable one through which to permit insured persons to make their own arrangements under Section 15, Sub-section (3), of the National Insurance Act; and whether the Commissioners consider that this is a suitable subject on which to make suggestions to the local committees; and (2) whether he is aware on what grounds the Glasgow, insurance committee has refused to permit insured members of the Scottish Clerks' Association to make their own arrangements for medical attendance under Section 15, Sub-section (3), of the Act, in accordance with the system of 208 medical benefit successfully worked by that society for the past ten years; and, if so, will he state what are the grounds of objection?
§ Mr. MASTERMANAs I stated in answer to my hon. Friend on the 27th March, it is primarily the duty of the insurance committees concerned to consider whether, in view of these arrangements and of any other local circumstances, members of the association could properly be allowed to make their own arrangements under Section 15 (3) of the Act, and the Scottish Commissioners, after considering all the circumstances, do not feel justified in interfering with the discretion of the insurance committees in the matter. I understand that a number of members of the association have, in fact, received permission from the Glasgow insurance committee to make their own arrangements with doctors not on the panel under Section 15 (3) of the Act, and that the period of application was extended for them from January to 14th April.
Mr. MacCALLUM SCOTTWithout interfering with the discretion of the committees, will the Commissioners consider that this is a suitable subject on which to make suggestions to the local committees?
§ Mr. MASTERMANThe Commissioners merely state that they are not prepared to make any definite statement on the subject. The local committees must decide.
Mr. WORTHINGTON-EVANSIs not the scheme of benefit adopted by the Scottish Clerks' Association very similar to the one they submitted to the Chancellor of the Exchequer, and which was approved while the Bill was going through the House?
§ Mr. MASTERMANI do not think any scheme of benefit was approved by the Chancellor of the Exchequer. There is not the slightest doubt that the scheme of benefit suggested does not come under the definition in Section 15 (4).
Mr. MacCALLUM SCOTTDo I understand from the answer that already members of the association have been allowed to make their own arrangements under Section 15, Sub-section (3), and therefore there is no objection to other members doing the same thing?
§ Mr. MASTERMANCertainly. Any insurance committee may allow members to make their own arrangements under 209 Section 15 (3), but, of course, the scheme may be very largely carried out without any necessity of making their own arrangements.
Mr. WORTHINGTON-EVANSDoes that mean that members of this society will have in future to negotiate with a great number of insurance committees?
§ Mr. MASTERMANThe Act provides that every member must arrange with his own insurance society.
§ Mr. WATTDid not the Treasury give a definite promise to this association that such a scheme would be permissible?
§ Mr. MASTERMANNo, I can find no evidence.