§ 32. Mr. Tomlinsonasked the Minister of Health whether it is intended that Section 13 of the emergency National Health Insurance Act shall apply to those cases in which application had been made before the passing of the Act but where the actual transfer will not take place until January, 1940?
§ Mr. ElliotI would refer the hon. Member to the reply which was given to the hon. Member for Hemsworth (Mr. G. Griffiths) on 24th October.
§ 33. Mr. Tomlinsonasked the Minister of Health whether, in the case of an employer who has become bankrupt and who has made the statutory deductions from wages to cover National Health Insurance but failed to stamp the employés cards, he will consider crediting the members with the stamps missing, where the recovery by the Department as preferential creditors fails to realise the full amount?
§ Mr. ElliotThe suggestion made by the hon. Member has been carefully considered more than once, but on each occasion the conclusion was reached that its adoption would be undesirable in so far as it would lessen the incentive to the insured person himself to see that his card was duly stamped at the proper time, thus leading to laxity in the payment of contributions.
§ Mr. TomlinsonIs the Minister aware that the insured contributor only sees his card at the end of the twenty-sixth week and is therefore unaware that all the payments have not been made, and that in many cases this leads to grave hardships, benefits being denied on account of the payments not having been made?
§ Mr. ElliotYes, Sir, that is true, but a certain responsibility falls upon the assured person to see that these cards are correctly kept.
§ Mr. TomlinsonIs the Minister aware that the only responsibility is on the inspector of his Department, and that unless the inspector visits the firm during the 26 weeks the man has no opportunity of checking the fact that the payments have not been made?
§ Mr. ElliotThe hon. Member knows very well that suggestions for dealing with this matter have been frequently examined and that it has not been found possible to accede to the suggestion which he makes.
§ Sir P. HarrisCannot the Minister find means for dealing with the hardship which may be caused by the present rule—the reason for it we understand—and will he not consult his Department to see whether anything can be done?
§ Mr. ElliotI shall be glad to do that. I have more than once gone into this question myself, because I realise the hardships which are caused, but it has always seemed to me that the hardships caused by modifying the rule might be greater than those arising from the present rule.
§ Mr. TomlinsonOwing to the very unsatisfactory nature of the reply, I beg to give notice that I shall raise this matter on the Adjournment.