30. Mr.GODFREYLOCKER LAMPSONasked whether the Secretary to the Treasury will explain why Circular A.S. 73 says surplus maternity benefit money (unpaid to dependants, etc.) must be paid in cash when the mother leaves the hospital, while Circular A.S. 94 says that surplus sickness benefit money (unpaid to dependants, etc.) must not be paid in cash when the insured person leaves the hospital, having regard to the fact that the same Section 12 of the National Insurance Act and the same words govern both sickness and maternity benefit?
§ Mr. MASTERMANNeither sickness benefit nor maternity benefit can be paid to an insured person during residence in a hospital. The right to maternity benefit, however, accrues in respect of a single event, while the right to sickness benefit accrues in respect of periods of time. In view of this difference the Commissioners are advised that, any balance of maternity benefit, not otherwise disposed of, may properly be paid to the insured person after the woman leaves the hospital, while in the case of sickness benefit the right of a person in a hospital to receive any balances undisposed of necessarily lapses under the provisions of Section 12 of the Act at the expiration of the period in respect of which the benefit would have been payable.