§ 21. Mr. BOWERMANasked the Minister of Health whether, in view of the recommendation of the Royal Commission on National Health Insurance that massage and electrical treatment be added to the list of additional benefits, he will consider the desirability of promoting a scheme whereby such treatment may be obtainable without difficulty for insured persons if and when the treatment has been prescribed for them?
Mr. CHAMBERLAINIn the event of massage and electrical treatment being added to the list of additional benefits, I should be prepared to give all possible assistance to approved societies, with the object of securing for their members the opportunity of obtaining the necessary treatment under satisfactory conditions and on reasonable terms. I should, however, point out that before any Regulation could be made adding the treatment in question to the list of additional benefits, I should have to be satisfied that a reasonable number of societies desired to amend their existing schemes of additional benefits and to divert to massage and electrical treatment some of the money at present allocated to other treatment benefits.
§ Mr. PALINGIs not the main reason why these additional benefits are not added to the list that the Chancellor of the Exchequer purloined the money some time ago?
§ Mr. PALINGYou know there is.