12. Mr. J. Wellsasked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance if he will take steps to alter the National Insurance (Maternity Benefit) Regulations to enable benefits to be paid as for a home confinement when the mother is in hospital for under 48 hours.
§ Mr. Boyd-CarpenterIn the circumstances described in the Question, a maternity grant of £14 is payable and a home confinement grant of £6 may also be payable if the mother has been admitted to hospital as an emergency case. I think this is pretty reasonable.
Mr. WellsIs my right hon. Friend aware that many young mothers go to hospital voluntarily for only a very short stay and are turned out far too quickly because of the present shortage of maternity beds? Their confinement in hospital was a long-standing arrangement and therefore the benefit which my right hon. Friend outlines in his main answer is not available. Will he look at this again and draw the attention of his right hon. Friend the Minister of Health to the grave shortage of maternity beds due to the pay and conditions of nurses and midwives?
§ Mr. Boyd-CarpenterI am aware of the case to which my hon. Friend refers and which, as he says, also concerns my right hon. Friend. The importance of the home confinement grant is that it is paid in addition to the maternity grant itself to compensate in some measure for the expense of a confinement at home. When the confinement takes place in hospital by long pre-arrangement it is outside the scope of this additional grant.