§ 74. Mr. Benjamin Smithasked the Minister of Health the number of foreign going health and pensions contributions paid by shipowners in the last year for which such figures are available; the amount credited to approved societies; the deposit contributors' fund and to any other body to which contributions may be appropriate; and the difference in the amount so credited and the amount that would have been credited if the employers' share of the contributions were the same as that of the employers of shore workers?
§ Mr. ElliotThe number of health and pensions contributions paid in respect of foreign-going seamen for the year ended 1495 31st December, 1938, was approximately 3,980,000 and the credits to health insurance funds and the pensions accounts in that year on account of such contributions amounted to approximately £284,000, made up of credits to approved societies £97,000, to the Deposit Contributors Fund £6,000, the Royal Seamen's Pensions Fund £2,000, and the pensions accounts £179,000. If the health contribution had been payable at the ordinary employed rate the amount credited to the health insurance funds would have been greater by about £40,000.