§ 72. Mr. C. BATHURSTasked if it is proposed in the National Insurance Act (1911) Amendment Bill to make provision for the inclusion in medical benefit of the nursing of insured persons, or otherwise to take steps to provide such persons with efficient nursing and prevent the threatened extinction through lack of financial support of county and district nursing associations?
§ Mr. MASTERMANNo, Sir. Provision is already made under Section 21 of the principal Act whereby approved societies and insurance committees may subscribe for the support of district nurses for the purpose of visiting and nursing insured persons, but there has not yet been sufficent experience of the working of the Act to show the full effect of this provision or whether any amendment is needed.
§ 73. Mr. C. BATHURSTasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether, in pursuance of the recent Report of the Departmental Committee appointed to consider the conditions imposed by Section 15 (5) (3) of the National Insurance Act, there has been introduced into the amending Bill of the present Session a provision authorising a person, firm, or body corporate who or which has entered into arrangements with an insurance committee for the dispensing of medicines for insured persons to employ in such dispensing, not necessarily under the supervision of a registered pharmacist, any person who shall have satisfied such conditions as may be prescribed by the Privy Council for that purpose; and, if not, whether he will accept an Amendment to that effect?
§ Mr. MASTERMANThe answer to the first part of the the question is in the negative. The Report of the Committee is at present under consideration, and I am not yet in a position to state what action will be taken upon it.