HC Deb 15 August 1913 vol 56 cc3093-5

(1) This Act may be cited as the National Insurance Act, 1913, and the principal Act and this Act may be cited together as the National Insurance Acts, 1911 to 1913.

(2) Any provisions of this Act which supersede or amend any provisions of the principal act shall be deemed to be part of that. Part of the principal Act in which the provisions superseded or amended are contained.

Mr. MASTERMAN

I beg to move, at the beginning of Sub-section (2) to insert the words, "This Act shall be deemed to be part of Part I. of the principal Act except that."

This is a fulfilment of a promise I made to the hon. and learned Member for St. Pancras (Mr. Cassel), in order that the meaning might be made quite clear. I think he raised the question on the Casual Labour Clause. It is purely a matter of drafting.

Mr. HARRY LAWSON

May I ask whether, for public convenience, when this Bill is passed into law the Act will be reprinted showing the Amendments made by this Act, or what will be done to enable those concerned easily to see how far the principal Act has been amended?

Mr. MASTERMAN

I will see whether something of that sort cannot be done, or whether we could not issue the two Acts together.

Mr. GLYN-JONES

Would it not be possible between now and the Report stage, where we have the amending Clauses of the principal Act repealed, too repeal such Clauses and to re-enact the Clauses as amended, because it does seem to me that some such course would be necessary. Some Sections will be amended and some will be repealed. Sooner or later we will have another amending Bill, and we will never know where we are. If we could come to sonic understanding so that it would not be, necessary on Report to re-open the whole Act it would be a great convenience. Otherwise I submit the suggestion of the hon. Member for Mile End is a good one.

Mr. MASTERMAN

I will see what can be done. Perhaps we can issue the two Acts together with a memorandum. Ultimately, if these amending Acts go on we will have to have a Consolidation Act.

Mr. HARRY LAWSON

It would be possible in the House of Lords to pass Amendments that might be agreed to.

Sir W. BYLES

What is the advantage of declaring this to be a principal Act?

Mr. MASTERMAN

There was a doubt whether the application of the Regulations Clause to Special Orders under the Casual Labour schemes did actually apply, and this is to meet that particular point.

Question, "That those words be there inserted," put, and agreed to.

Further Amendments made: In Subsection (2) after the word "of" ["provisions of the principal Act"], insert the words "Part III."

In Sub-section (2) leave out the words, "that part of the principal Act in which the provisions superseded or amended are contained," and insert instead thereof the words "Part III. of the principal Act."

Mr. MASTERMAN

I beg to move at the end of Sub-section (2) to add the following new Sub-section:— (3) This Act shall come into operation on such date or dates as the Insurance Commissioners may by order appoint, and different days may be appointed for different purposes and different provisions of this Act, so, however, that no date later than the 13th October, 1913, shall be appointed for the coming into operation of the provisions of this Act altering the rates of sickness or disablement benefit in respect of any class of insured persons, nor later than the 15th January, 1914, in respect to any other purpose or provision." This Amendment is to meet the promise I made to the hon. Gentleman the Member for Worcester (Mr. Goulding), that the 13th October, 1913, should be the date on which the new sickness benefit should commence.

Question put, and agreed to.

Question, "That the Clause, as amended, stand part of the Bill," put, and agreed to.