HC Deb 01 February 1918 vol 101 cc2036-9

(1) Where an insured person, being a member of an approved society, ceases to be employed within the meaning of Part I. of the principal Act, he shall, for a period of twelve months next after the end of the week in which he ceased to be so employed, for all purposes remain an insured person, and shall, until the termination of the year in which he ceases to be an insured person be entitled to receive medical benefit and sanatorium benefit as if he had continued to be an insured person.

(2) Where any person who has been insured as an employed contributor for less than one hundred and four weeks, or in respect of whom less than one hundred and four weekly contributions have been paid, ceases to be employed within the meaning of Part I. of the principal Act, he shall, if he proves to the approved society of which he is a member, or on appeal to the Insurance Commissioners, that he is unemployed owing either to -incapacity for work of which notice has been given within the prescribed time or inability to obtain employment, he entitled, within the prescribed time, to pay contributions in respect of the period during which he is unemployed.

(3) A voluntary contributor being a member of an approved society shall remain for all purposes an insured person for a period of twelve months next after the end of the week in respect of which the last contribution paid by him as a voluntary contributor was paid, and shall, until the termination of the year in which he ceases to be an insured person, be entitled to receive medical benefit and sanatorium benefit as if he had continued to be an insured person.

(6) This section shall apply to any person who ceased to be an insured person on any date less than twelve months before the commencement of this Act as if this Act had been in force on that date, so, however, that such a person shall not, by virtue of this Section, be treated as having been entitled to any benefits during any period before the commencement of this Act.

Lords Amendment:

In Sub-section (1), after the word "person" ["an insured person"], insert the words "and a member of an approved society."—Agreed to.

Lords Amendment:

At end of Sub-section (1), insert a new proviso—

"Provided that where any such person ceases to be employed as aforesaid by reason of entering on some prescribed class of occupation in connection with the war, not being employment within the meaning of Part I. of the principal Act (in this Section referred to as 'war occupation'), or by reason of being interned in an enemy country as a prisoner of war or otherwise, he shall, subject to such conditions with respect to payment of contributions and otherwise as may be prescribed, remain an insured person until two months after the termination of the war occupation or internment, as the case may be, or until the expiration of twelve months from the date on which he ceased to be employed as aforesaid, whichever date is the later."

Mr. SPEAKER

In regard to this Amendment, I desire to call the attention of the House to the fact that this is an extension of the rights granted under the Bill as sent up to the other place, and that it is therefore a privileged Amendment. The effect of it, as far as I understand it, is to restore to the particular parties concerned the rights which they had under the original Act. Therefore, there is no increase of existing rights, although there is an increase of rights upon those which were given to the parties concerned by the Bill as it passed this House. Perhaps the House will think it desirable on this occasion to waive their privilege, and to make a special entry.

Sir E. CORNWALL

I beg to move that we waive our privilege.

Mr. SPEAKER

That is not necessary. If you move to agree with the Lords a special entry will be made.

In Sub-section (2), leave out the words "any person who has been insured as."—A greed to.

Leave out the words "for less than one hundred and four weeks or."—Agreed to.

Leave out the words "on appeal to the Insurance Commissioners," and insert instead thereof the words "if in the case of a dispute it is decided in manner provided by the principal Act."—Agreed to.

Leave out the words "of which notice has been given within the prescribed time," and insert instead thereof the words "due to some specific disease or bodily or mental disablement."—Agreed to.

At the end of Sub-section (3), insert the words "and a member of an approved society."—Agreed to.

In Sub-section (6), leave out the words "This Section shall apply to any person who ceased to be an insured person on any date less than twelve months before the commencement of this Act as if this Act had been in force on that date," and insert instead thereof the words "Where any person having been insured as an employed contributor at any time within twelve months before the date of the commencement of this Act ceased to be employed within the meaning of Part I. of the principal Act before that date, or where any person having been insured as an employed contributor at any time since the thirty-first day of July, nineteen hundred and fourteen, ceased before the commencement of this Act to be employed within the meaning of Part I. of the principal Act by reason of entering on war occupation or by reason of being interned as aforesaid, this Act shall apply to him as though it had been in force on the date when he so ceased to be employed."—Agreed to.