§ 22. Mr. C. BATHURSTasked whether Section 7 of the National Insurance Act, 1913, is being interpreted by the Insurance Commissioners as having retrospective operation, and thus exonerating all insured persons who were prior to the Act in arrear in payment of the employer's contribution during unemployment from such payment; and, if so, whether, seeing, that such effect was not contemplated during the passage of the Bill through this House, it is proposed to remedy the injustice thereby inflicted upon thrifty persons who prior thereto, and often at 565 great sacrifice, paid up their arrears in full, and to make good the financial loss suffered by societies in writing down the book value of their outstanding arrears by three-sevenths in the case of men and half in the case of women by a special Grant from the Exchequer?
Mr. BENNThe Commissioners are advised that the clear effect of Section 7 of the Act of 1913 is that an employed contributor can pay off at the reduced rate all arrears which have accrued since July 15th, 1913; and they are not aware that Parliament contemplated any other effect in enacting the Section. No financial loss has been or can be suffered by societies in respect of arrears contracted after July, 1913, and not paid up in full. Whore such arrears are redeemed by payment of the member's own share, the society concerned will have the contingent light to the Grant from the Sinking Fund or the Exchequer conferred by Sub-section (2) of Section 7 of the Act of 1913, and where such arrears are not so redeemed the loss to the society will be made good by the equivalent reduction, postponement or suspension of benefits directed to be made by Section 8 of the same Act.