§ 65. Mr. A. WILLIAMSasked whether a change has recently been made in the Regulations for paying certain classes of unestablished Government servants during illness; whether the pay which they used to receive during sickness has, since 1st July, been dropped in the case of such servants who have been in Government employment for less than six months; and whether such new Regulation constitutes a change in the contract between the Government and its servants to the detriment of the latter and without their consent?
§ Mr. BALDWINThe employés to whom the hon. Member refers were entitled to certain sick pay privileges, not in virtue of their contract of service, but under the National Health Insurance (Special Customs, Crown Employment) Order, dated 13th November, 1914, made by the National Health Insurance Joint Committee and Commissioners in pursuance of Sections 47 and 53 (3) of the National 919 Insurance Act, 1911. With the repeal of those Sections by the National Health Insurance Act, 1918, as from the 1st July last the privileges lapsed, and a new set of sick pay regulations have now been issued providing inter alia that sick pay should only be allowed after six months' service.
§ Mr. WILLIAMSIs the hon. Gentleman aware that this is a very great hardship on young women who have to live upon their money, that young women are sent away because they are told they have influenza, and that when they come back they are told there is no sick pay for them?
§ Mr. S. MacNEILLWill the hon. Gentleman recommend to the Government that it would be better to give the sick pay to these women than to allow money to be squandered by the entertainment of Cabinet Ministers at the expense of the public by the Ministry of Information?