§ Sir ARCHIBALD WILLIAMSONasked the Secretary to the Treasury whether his attention has been called to the statement of one of the official lecturers that a midwife working on her own account, and subject to no authority but the Central Mid-wives Board, is exempt from the compulsory clauses of the National Insurance Act, while a nurse in private practice would be compelled to insure, because she is subject to the authority of the medical man in charge of her case; and whether, in view of the number of nurses interested, he will say if the above statement is a correct description of the position of the nurses referred to?
§ Mr. MASTERMANAs I understand the lecturer in question indicated the liability to compulsory insurance depends upon the actual circumstances attending engagement. Apart from special grounds of exclusion those who are employed under contract of service must be insured. In view of the different terms and conditions under which nurses and midwives work, no general statement can be made which would apply in every case. The Commissioners will, however, issue a statement at as early a date as possible dealing with the main classes of engagement as nurses.