§ 70. Mr. PRETYMANasked what is the total number of members of registered societies over fifty years of age, who are compelled to pay the full contribution under the National Insurance Act, but who are to receive reduced benefits when ill; 1418 and how many such members are there who, through some kind of affliction, are prevented from receiving any benefit under the National Insurance Act?
§ Mr. MASTERMANI regret that I am not in a position to furnish the hon. Member with the figures for which he asks. These figures are not comprised in any Return made by approved societies to the Insurance Commissioners, and could not be arrived at without calling upon over 23,000 societies and branches to prepare a special Return.
§ 71. Mr. PRETYMANasked how many friendly society members have been compelled to receive reduced benefits for sickness or accident through their having ceased to pay the full contribution?
§ Mr. MASTERMANIf the hon. Member refers to benefits under the Insurance Act, arrears do not accrue in respect of employed contributors during the first year of the Act's operation, and have not therefore resulted in any such reduction of benefits as he suggests. If he refers to private insurance I have no information.
§ 72. Mr. PRETYMANasked how many members of friendly societies have become voluntary contributors to State insurance and who pay increased contributions according to scale; and how many of these are under fifty years of age and how many over fifty, distinguishing males and females?
§ Mr. MASTERMANThe statistics in the possession of the Insurance Commissioners distinguish between voluntary contributors entering insurance at ages under forty-five and at the age of forty-five or over, except aliens and married women special voluntary contributors. The numbers in these categories are 12,500 men and 3,700 women, and 2,300 men and 1,700 women respectively. The Commissioners have no information as to the numbers of these persons who were members of friendly societies prior to their entry into insurance.