§ 28. Mr. CHARLES BATHURSTasked the Secretary to the Treasury whether his attention has been called to the case of Watson Whiley, employed at Bowbridge Dye Works, near Stroud, in the county of Gloucester, who receives a weekly wage of 12s. for 55 hours' work, and whose weekly contribution in respect of health insurance would, but for occasional overtime, amount under Schedule II. of the National Insurance Act, 1911, to 1d. per week; whether he realises that in consequence of his doing overtime work for a single hour in the week, for which he receives 3d. extra, the sum of 3d. in lieu of 1d. is deducted from his wages in respect of health insurance, so that in effect he receives remuneration at the rate of for that hour; whether this is a correct interpretation of Schedule II. of the Act; and, if so, whether he can secure that an Amendment to the National Insurance Act (1911) Amendment Bill shall be introduced during its passage through the House of Lords in order to avoid its unfair operation in such cases in future?
Mr. BENNThe Schedule has been correctly interpreted in the case which the hon. Member cites. Where the rate of remuneration is exactly 2s. a working day, any increase, however small, in the rate for overtime has the effect of bringing the rate for the day above the 2s. limit. No Amendment of the Act would prevent such difficulties occurring in border-line cases.