§ 62. Mr. GEORGE ROBERTSasked if, although at the end of the first quarter of the payment of benefits under the National Insurance Act of £676 18s. 3d. due to the Norwich Friendly Societies Medical Institute for medical treatment and drugs, it was not till the beginning of May that £370 was paid on account, and that though another quarter is ended nothing further has been paid; whether the local insurance committee is thus acting on instructions from the Health Insurance Commissioners; and whether any action is contemplated to prevent a recurrence of delay so that medical institutes are treated in the same manner as doctors and chemises under the Act?
§ Mr. MASTERMANI am informed by the Norwich Insurance Committee that an advance payment of £370 was made to the institute on 2nd May last, on an undertaking given by the trustees for the due application of the money, although the rules of the institute had not at the time been approved by the Commissioners, or by the Registrar of Friendly Societies. The committee have offered to make a. further advance, and, acting on the instructions of the Commissioners, are prepared to do so on a liberal basis, but inasmuch as they arc only empowered by the Act to make a contribution towards the expenditure incurred by the institution on the medical attendance and treatment of insured persons, they must be satisfied that such expenditure has in fact been incurred. I am not aware that there has been any avoidable delay on the part of the Committee. I may, perhaps, add that an agreement is being arrived at between the Commissioners and the representatives of approved institutions as to the basis on which contributions towards their expenditure may be properly made by insurance committees.