HC Deb 20 July 1914 vol 65 cc19-20
29. Mr. NIELD

asked the hon. Member for St. George's-in-the-East, what the reason is for the Middlesex insurance committee delaying to discharge the claim of Mr. A. W. Leonard, of Ealing, in respect of payments made upwards of fifteen months previously for medical attendance and drugs; why a cheque, which was not forwarded until 4th July, 1914, for a proportionate amount of such payments only, should be dated 6th June, 1914, and why drawn on the insurance committee's petty cash account; whether such amount was not forwarded until after personal communication had been sent to the committee by Mr. Masterman; and, if so, what was the reason for this personal influence being exerted?

Mr. BENN

For the reasons stated in my previons reply to the hon. Member no calculation of the dividend due, and hence no payment could be made out of the Special Arrangements Fund until all accounts had been received. The case of the person referred to was in no way specially dealt with, the whole of the payments having been made at practically the same time.

35. Mr. WORTHINGTON EVANS

asked the hon. Member for St. George's-in-the-East, whether the Middlesex insurance committee has yet distributed among the panel doctors any of the surplus funds for 1913; if not, what is the reason of the delay; and, if so, will be say what addition it has made to the fixed remuneration per head of persons treated?

Mr. BENN

Advances have been made to a total amount in excess of the amounts due in respect of insured persons on doctors' lists only; but the difference between the amounts due on the latter basis and the amount due in respect of the total insured population of the area entitled to treatment by doctors on the panel cannot be ascertained until the completion of the settlement now in progress.

36. Mr. WORTHINGTON EVANS

asked the hon. Member for St. George's-in-the-East, whether the Middlesex insurance committee have distributed among the panel doctors of their area any sum for tuberculosis treatment; and, if no such distribution has taken place, will he say what is the cause of the delay?

Mr. BENN

The answer to the first part of the question is in the affirmative; the second does not, therefore, arise.