§ Mr. WEDGWOOD BENN (Lord of the Treasury)I beg to move, "That leave be given to introduce a Bill to amend Section 16 of the National Insurance Act, 1911, in respect of certain officers, warrant officers, and soldiers."
The effect of this Bill will be to permit men enlisted in the New Army to be treated in the same way as Territorials are treated who were in employment. If insured before, they can continue to be insured; and if not insured before enlistment, they need not become insured unless they wish to do so. The Bill also provides 606 that officers who take commissions in the New Army may, if already in insurance, continue in insurance.
§ Mr. WORTHINGTON EVANSIs the Government going to give the option to this New Army to come into insurance or not? If they do elect to come into insurance, they should come in at full rates. I would remind the hon. Gentleman what this means. A good many of these men may be employed for the first time. They may have been working on their own account as farmers, small holders, or otherwise, and as they will be joining over sixteen years of age they will only be entitled to reduced benefits for their payments. It would be quite easy to provide that they would be entitled to be deemed as having joined within eighteen months after the passing of the National Insurance Act.
§ Mr. BOOTHIt may be very easy to place these new entrants upon favourable terms to themselves without making provision that societies will take them as members. I do not see how you can ask approved societies to take new members at this time, and give them benefits to which in the ordinary case they would not be entitled without at the same time doing something to help the societies. We do not want them to be Post Office contributors. It is easy to make the Bill say that these men will receive benefits to which they would not be entitled in the ordinary way, but you will not get societies to take them in any number unless the Government gives some assistance.
Bill ordered to be brought in by Mr. Wedgwood Benn, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Dr. Macnamara and Mr. Tennant. Presented accordingly; read the first time; to be read a second time To-morrow, and to be printed. [Bill 401.]
§ The remaining Orders were read and postponed.