HC Deb 01 February 1945 vol 407 cc1630-2
57. Mr. Ralph Etherton

asked the Minister of Health the grounds of urgency under which it was decided to certify, under Section 2 of the Rules Publication Act, the National Health Insurance Emergency Additional Benefits Amendment Regulations, 1944 (S.R. & O. No. 1479 of 1944).

Mr. Willink

The regulations to which my hon. Friend refers were needed because, owing to war conditions, it has not been possible to proceed with the valuations of approved societies' assets and liabilities, which have to be made before new schemes of additional benefits can be authorised, and it was accordingly necessary to make provision to allow of the extension of the additional benefit schemes already in force. This was urgent because additional benefit schemes covering about four hundred thousand insured persons would otherwise have come to an end on 31st December, 1944.

58. Mr. Etherton

asked the Minister of Health the grounds of urgency under which it was decided to certify, under Section 2 of the Rules of Publication Act, the National Health Insurance Unclaimed Proceeds of Stamp Sales Amendment Regulations, 1944 (S.R. & O., No. 1469, of 1944).

Mr. Willink

The regulations to which my hon. Friend refers were needed in order that additional funds should be made available to meet the cost of medical benefit under the National Health Insurance Acts. This was urgent because, owing to increases in the cost of medical benefit due to war conditions, the funds available would have been insufficient to meet the whole of the charges for the year ended 31st December, 1944.

Mr. Etherton

Could this matter not have been foreseen, and the normal procedure followed?

61. Sir I. Albery

asked the Minister of Health the grounds of urgency under which it was decided to certify, under Section 2 of the Rules Publication Act, the National Health Insurance Arrears Amendment Regulations, 1944 (S.R. & O., No. 1466, of 1944).

Mr. Willink

The regulations to which my hon. Friend refers extend the provisions of earlier regulations to the calculation of arrears for the contribution year ended 2nd July, 1944. This was urgent because the arrears for that year affect the rate of benefit payable to insured persons during the benefit year which began on 1st January, 1945.

Mr. Etherton

Is this not another matter which could have been foreseen, and where no urgency need have existed? If a little forethought had been exercised, could not the normal procedure have been followed?