§ 71. Mr. WATSONasked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether his attention has been called to cases in which employers who have deducted the necessary money from wages have failed to put stamps on the insurance cards of the employés, and that a number of employés are in peril of losing health and widows' pension insurance benefit in consequence and what steps he proposes to take in the matter?
§ Mr. JOHNSTONThe attention of my right hon. Friend has been called to certain cases of the kind referred to by the hon. Member in which insured persons have been placed in arrears through the non-payment of contributions by employers who have become insolvent. I am advised, however, that consequent on the receipt of a dividend, in respect of unpaid contributions, from the bankrupt estate of the employer concerned in the last outstanding case the prospect of the loss of health insurance benefits or pension rights by any of the employés as a direct result is the default is remote. As regards the latter part of the question, my right hon. Friend is at present considering, in collaboration with the Minister of Health, what steps can be taken to safeguard insured persons from loss owing to the default of insolvent employers.