NATIONAL INSURANCE (MARRIED WOMEN) AMENDMENT REGULA- TIONS, 1954 (Hansard, 10 February 1954)

LORD HAWKE

My Lords, I beg to move that these Regulations be approved. They arise from an attempt to simplify the rules governing the position of married women under the National Insurance scheme. The effect of their main provisions is simply to remove one of the restrictions on the right to contribute when not employed and also to ensure that failure to pay contributions when not employed will not prejudice a married woman's right to any unemployment and sickness benefit arising from contributions paid by her when she was in employment. Other provisions are of a minor character and, like the main provisions, are beneficial. These regulations have been drafted with the approval of the National Insurance Advisory Committee, and have been reported from the Special Orders Committee of your Lordships' House as not raising important questions of policy or principle. They were approved in another place without any opposition. I commend them to your Lordships, and beg to move that they be approved.