§ 30. Mr. WATTasked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury whether it is necessary for an approved society under the Insurance Act to themselves employ and pay the medical attendants, and whether it is possible for the individual members to employ and pay, being refunded by the society; and when his Department came clearly to this view?
Mr. ROBERTSONThe answer to the first part of the question is in the negative; medical benefit is administered by insurance committees and not by approved societies. With regard to the second part, persons who are allowed by insurance committees to make their own arrangements for medical attendance and treatment will receive contributions from the committees towards the cost of such attendance and treatment. These are definite provisions of the Act, about which there has never, so far as I am aware, been any such doubt as is suggested in the third part of the question. I am not sure, however, that I fully understand from the terms of the question what form of arrangements my hon. Friend has in mind, and perhaps he would furnish me with further details.