15. Mr. WORTHINGTON-EVANSasked how many insured persons live in the districts of Chatteris and Wisbech under the jurisdiction of the Isle of Ely insurance committee, for whom four doctors have undertaken complete responsibility; and whether in these districts the four doctors are allowed to dispense?
§ Mr. MASTERMANThe number of insured persons living in the urban district of Wisbech is estimated at 3,607, and in the urban district of Chatteris at 1,753. The answer to the second part of the question is in the negative.
16. Mr. WORTHINGTON-EVANSasked whether insured persons are allowed to make their own arrangements under Section 15 (3) of the National Insurance Act by the insurance committee of the Isle of 1767 Ely; and what limits of time within which applications for permission to make private arrangements can be made have been fixed by such committee?
§ Mr. MASTERMANThe Isle of Ely insurance committee will exercise the powers conferred on them by Section 15 (3) of the National Insurance Act in the same way as other insurance committees, except in the areas in which the panel system has been suspended. In those areas all the sums available for the medical treatment of insured persons will be paid by the committee to the doctors who have undertaken complete responsibility for their treatment, I am not aware that any limits of time such as are referred to in the second part of the question have been fixed by the committee.
§ Mr. MASTERMANWell. I think that they will have free choice amongst the doctors who are willing to act under the Act.
17. Mr. WORTHINGTON-EVANSasked on what terms Messrs. Morgan and Dimmock have been engaged as doctors for the Isle of Ely under the National Insurance Act; and whether any assurance has been given to them that the panel will be closed or not adopted for two years or any other period, and by whom such assurance was given?
§ Mr. MASTERMANDr. Morgan only rendered service pending the completion of the committee's arrangements for medical service in the Chatteris district. Dr. Dimmoek and the other doctors who have undertaken the attendance and treatment of insured persons in the Chatteris and Wisbech districts will be remunerated on the same terms as panel doctors elsewhere, and they have entered into agreement with the local insurance committee to take complete responsibility for the insured persons in those districts for a period of two years, subject to three months' notice on either side.
Mr. WORTHINGTON-EVANSCan the right hon. Gentleman answer the question whether any assurance has been given to the doctors that the panel will be closed or not within the two years?
§ Mr. MASTERMANAs I understand, the arrangement is that the panel system is suspended for two years, subject to three months' notice on cither side