45. Mr. FRED HALLasked the Prime Minister how long a period is likely to elapse before the National Health Insurance Commissioners will be in a position as regards departmental matters to act independently and to come to decisions on their own initiative and without oversight by and on instructions from Ministers?
§ Mr. LLOYD GEORGE (for the Prime Minister)The relation of the Commissioners to Ministers is as explained more than once by my right hon. Friend the Financial Secretary to the Treasury, and defined in a Treasury minute of which I will send a copy to the hon. Gentleman. It will be impossible for the Commissioners or any other Government Department at any time to act without oversight or instructions of Ministers, who are responsible to Parliament for the expenditure by those Departments of money which Parliament votes for the purpose.
Mr. FRED HALLAre not the Insurance Commissioners, who have this matter particularly under their care, more conversant than Ministers with what is most for the benefit of the insured persons?
§ Mr. LLOYD GEORGEThe hon. Member must know that the constitutional responsibility of Ministers means the responsibility of Parliament. If you allowed anybody else to act instead of Ministers, you would infringe the authority of Parliament.