§ 80. Mr. JOSEPH JOHNSTONEasked the Secretary to the Local Government Board as representing the National Health Insurance Commissioners, whether he is now prepared to recommend to the Treasury that the supplementary grants approved of by Parliament in August, 1914, for medical referee, consultants, etc., supplementary medical services, and nursing giants, should now be paid; and whether he will be prepared to consult with the representatives from societies and insurance committees as to the administration of these special grants?
§ Major ASTORPreliminary conferences are at the present time taking place between representatives of the medical profession and the Commissioners, preparatory to a general review of the medical services for insured persons, including questions of possible extensions. When the result of these conferences are available and of further conferences on the same subject with representatives of approved societies and insurance committees, I hope to be in a position to consider what action can best be taken in regard to special grants of the kind referred to in the question.
§ 81. Mr. J. JOHNSTONEasked the Secretary to the Local Government Board, as representing the National Health Insurance Commissioners, whether his attention has been directed to the loss suffered by insurance committees through the repeal of Section 12 (2) (b) of the National Health Insurance Act, 1911, and the recommendation of the Ryan Committee that this Clause of the Act should not be 886 repealed without making provision which would prevent loss to the committees; and whether he will arrange for the provision of a Grant to insurance committees for general purposes to replace the funds of which they have been deprived through the repeal of Section 12 (2) (b) of the National Health Insurance Act, 1911?
§ Major ASTORThe income derived by insurance committees from payments made to them under Section 12 (2) (b) of the National Insurance Act, 1911, was in the main either accumulated as a balance or was used to supplement their administration income or their sanatorium benefit income. Exchequer Grants have been made to insurance committees to meet deficiencies on these accounts, and the activities of the committees have not, therefore, been prejudiced in any way by the repeal of the Sub-section in question.