§ 35. General Sir George Jeffreysasked the Minister of National Insurance whether a person who has been a voluntary contributor under the National Health Insurance Scheme but has allowed his contributions to lapse, will, on being compulsorily brought in to the new National Insurance Scheme, suffer any disadvantages as regards his rights to benefits or pensions when compared with other compulsory contributors under the new scheme.
§ The Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of National Insurance (Mr. Steele)A voluntary contributor under the National Health Insurance Act who has allowed his insurance to lapse through failure to pay contributions will be brought into the new scheme of insurance on 5th July next on the same terms and conditions as other persons not insured under the old scheme immediately before that date.
§ Sir G. JeffreysIs the Minister aware that there is an impression abroad that such a contributor, who has allowed his contributions to lapse, will indeed be brought into the National Scheme in July but, because he took up National Insurance of his own free will, and dropped it of his own free will, the Ministry will take his money from him and he will not get a pension? Is that correct?
§ Mr. SteeleSo far as the voluntary contributors are concerned, it is true that when they cease payment of contributions it does not necessarily follow that insurance rights cease at that time; they may go on for two years. Anyone who has any deficiency in the current contribution record will have an opportunity to make 1951 good that deficiency, but any voluntary contributor who has allowed his insurance to lapse entirely will come into this new scheme on the same basis as a new entry.