§ 66. Mr. CHARLES BATHURSTasked the Secretary to the Treasury whether he is aware that employers demand health insurance stamp cards for the new quarter before giving up those for the previous -quarter; that small societies, not having agents, are prevented from delivering the new cards in bulk and collecting the old ones at works and factory offices as in the case of the large insurance companies, thereby placing the members of small societies at some comparative disadvantage with their employers; and whether, under these circumstances, arrangements can be made whereby cards may be sent post free to insured persons or, alternatively, a regulation made by the Commissioners to the effect that the stamp card must be returned to each individual worker, and so avoid any interference with freedom of choice of an approved society consequent upon the collection of cards in bulk?
§ Mr. MASTERMANI am aware that in some cases employers have called upon their employés to produce the new quarter's cards before delivering up the old, although there is nothing in the Regulations authorising them to do so. It would not be possible without serious loss to the revenue to allow cards to be sent through the post free of charge between contributors and their societies, but the disadvantage to which the hon. Member refers could probably be obviated by the smaller societies appointing one of their members to collect and distribute the cards of his fellow members employed in the same workshop. The Commissioners would take a serious view of any case in which it was shown that cards had been handed by an employer to the agent of any society not authorised to receive them.