§ Mr. MEAGHERasked the Secretary to the Treasury whether, under the provisions of the National Insurance Act, the question of providing relief to sick insured persons will devolve upon the relieving officers of Ireland as well as upon the insurance officials; whether, having regard to the terms of the National Insurance Act as relate to the provision of sick benefits and to the proper supervision of cases, it will be necessary to have weekly inspection of cases; and, if so, whether, seeing that already under the Poor Laws provision is made for weekly supervision of sick cases as well as for immediate action on sudden cases which may arise, the Insurance Commissioners will appoint Poor Law officers to the positions which may arise under the local committees which will have to be appointed; and whether, having regard to the number of local officers who would be required to safeguard the working of the National Insurance Act, and the cost which such working would entail in the payment of salaries to new officers, the Insurance Commissioners will follow the precedent of the Election Order and appoint Poor Law officers as local officers under the Act for persons other than members of approved societies?
§ Mr. MASTERMANThe answer to the first part of the question is in the negative; the rules as to sick visiting will be formed by the approved societies, or (as regards the deposit contributors) by the local insurance committees. With regard to the third and fourth part of the question, the officers of the local insurance committees will be appointed by those committees themselves, and not by the Commission.