§ Sir L. WORTHINGTON-EVANSasked the Minister of Health what were the amounts of the Reserve Value Contingency Fund and the Control Fund, respectively, at the end of 1921, and against what liabilities each of these funds has been accumulated; and whether any part of any of the funds is available for medical benefit or to supplement payments made to the panel doctors?
Mr. CHAMBERLAINThere is no fund called the reserve value contingency fund, and it is assumed that reference is made either to the Reserve Values (Apportionment) Account or the Reserve Suspense Fund. The Reserve Values (Apportionment) Account is applied in accordance with the provisions of the National Health Insurance Acts in discharging the liabilities of the Minister to approved societies in respect of reserve values created under the Acts, and cannot be applied to any other purpose. The amounts carried to the account are periodically apportioned among approved societies, but at the end of 1921 there was a balance of some £2,000,000 in the account not apportioned pending determination of the precise amount of reserve values to be created under Section 16 of the Act of 1920. The net amount standing to the credit of the Reserve Suspense Fund at the end of 1921 was approximately £389,000, but this is merely a provisional balance pending completion of adjustments for the purpose of giving financial effect to the changes of membership that have occurred since the date of the last valuation. When these adjustments have been carried into the fund it is anticipated that the balance remaining will be negligible. The Reserve Suspense Fund is constituted of the amounts transferred from approved societies and from the deposit contributors' fund on the cessation of insurance by members of societies and deposit contributors as the case may be, and has to be applied as far as it is sufficient to provide the reserve values that are required in respect of persons coming into insurance, and of deposit contributors becoming members of societies. As stated above, it is antici-1398W pated that only a negligible balance will be at any time in the fund when all necessary adjustments have been brought into account, and the balance, if any, could not be applied otherwise than for the purposes indicated.
The amount of the central fund at the end of 1921 was approximately £2,000,000. The central fund was established under the National Health Insurance Act, 1918, for the purpose of meeting the residual part of any deficiencies at valuation remaining over (after the available contingencies funds of the societies concerned have been exhausted) in cases where the Joint Committee are satisfied that the deficiency is due to an abnormal rate of sickness attributable to certain specified causes, or to any other special cause beyond the control of the society or branch.
By the National Health Insurance Act, 1922, the fund is liable for making good to the benefit funds of approved societies seven-ninths of one-third of the sums paid out of those benefit funds towards the additional payments in respect of the cost of medical benefit and the expenses of administration of medical benefit provided for by that Act up to the end of 1923. Having regard to the existing liabilities of the fund, it cannot be regarded as in any respect available for any other purpose.
§ Mr. RHYS DAVIESasked the Minister of Health if he will state (a) what, from 15th July, 1912, to 31st December, 1912, and for each year onwards, was the value of health insurance stamps sold by the Post Office; (b) what, for the same period in 1912 and for each subsequent year to 31st December, 1921, was the value of the stamps affixed to health insurance cards surrendered to the Ministry; (c) what was the value of the stamps on late cards surrendered in 1914 and each subsequent year to 31st December, 1921, in respect of the period to the 30th June preceding; if the values under (c) are included in the values stated under (b); (d) what was the total standing to the credit of the Unclaimed Stamp Sales account on 31st December, 1921; (e) what proportion thereof was claimed on account of late cards surrendered for the half-year ending June, 1922; (f) what is the value of the interest which has been 1399W earned to 31st December, 1922, in respect of the investment of moneys in the Unclaimed Stamp Sales Account; (g) what sum is expected to be claimed by societies from the said account in respect of the crediting during the period July, 1922, to July, 1923, of contributions to their unemployed members; and (h) is it anticipated that this procedure will be followed for the succeeding 12 months to July, 1924?
Mr. CHAMBERLAINThe information asked for is given in the following statement, so far as available, as respects England and Wales together:
(a) Value of health insurance stamps sold by the Post Office:
£ During the period 15th July, 1912, to 12th January, 1913 6,930,000 During the period 13th January, 1913, to 11th January, 1914 14,228,000 During the period 12th January, 1914, to 31st December, 1914 13,395,000
Year 1915 … … … … 13,532,000 Year 1916 … … … … 12,815,000 Year 1917 … … … … 12,663,000 Year 1918 … … … … 12,507,000 Year 1919 … … … … 13,224,000 Year 1920 … … … … 18,128,000 Year 1921 … … … … 20,006,000 Year 1922 … … … … 20,472,000 (The value of health insurance stamps sold otherwise than by the Post Office from 15th July, 1912, to the end of 1922 was approximately £16,500,000.)
(b) Value of stamps affixed to health insurance cards surrendered to the Ministry:
£ In respect of the period 15th July, 1912, to 12th January, 1913 7,793,000 In respect of the period 13th January, 1913, to 11th January, 1914 15,601,000 In respect of the period 12th January, 1914, to 31st December, 1914 14,422,000 1400W
Year 1915 … … … … 14,650,000 Year 1916 … … … … 13,857,000 Year 1917 … … … … 13,338,000 Year 1918 … … … … 13,654,000 Year 1919 … … … … 14,800,000 Year 1920 … … … … 19,698,000 Year 1921 … … … … 21,208,000 (c) The value of stamps on late cards surrendered in 1914 and subsequent years is included in the values stated under (b), and separate statistics are not available for periods prior to 1916.
The approximate value of late cards in respect of certain years up to 1921 surrendered in returns for dates subsequent to the date of the cards was as follows:
£ Year 1916 … … … … 660,000 Year 1917 … … … … 426,000 Year 1918 … … … … 316,000 Year 1919 … … … … 528,000 Year 1920 … … … … 532,000 (d) The total standing to the credit of the Unclaimed Contributions (Stamps) Account on 31st December, 1921, was approximately £70,000.
The hon. Member probably desires, however, to be informed of the amount of stamps sold representing not only stamps on unclaimed and unsurrendered cards, but also stamps in the hands of the public. The balance on this account at 31st December, 1921, was approximately £3,900,000 (including interest credited up to that date).
(e) The amount claimed on account of late cards surrendered in returns for the half-year ending June, 1922, at present to hand is approximately £350,000.
(f) The interest which has been earned to 31st December, 1922, in respect of the investment of moneys in the Stamps Sold Account is approximately £650,000. The amount earned to 31st December, 1921, is included in the balance given under (d).
(g) The sum of £200,000 is estimated to be payable to approved societies from the said account in respect of the crediting of contributions by approved societies to their unemployed members for the contribution year ending July, 1922.
(h) The question of procedure in the succeeding contribution year is under consideration.
§ Mr. DAVIESalso asked the Minister of Health what, in respect of each year to 31st December, 1921, was the value of sums transferred to the Health Insurance Reserve Value Suspense Account and from whom were such sums transferred; what, during the same years, were the sums transferred from such account, and to whom and for what purposes were such sums transferred; what was the total 1401W standing to the credit of the said account on 31st December, 1921; what proportion thereof is represented by cash or investments, and what amount by reserve values at present unredeemed; and what is the value of the interest which has been earned by, or credited to, the same account to 31st December, 1922?
Mr. CHAMBERLAINThe question is assumed to refer to the Reserve Suspense Fund constituted by the National Health Insurance Act, 1918. The approximate sums transferred to and from the fund in respect of each year to 31st December, 1918, are as follow:
Transferred to Reserve Suspense Fund
From approved societies:
Year. £ 1912–13 … … … 377,000 1914 … … … 2,282,000 1915 … … … 3,765,000 1916 … … … 2,726,000 1917 … … … 2,586,000 1918 … … … 2,479,000 From deposit contributors' fund:
Year. £ 1912–18 … … … 593,000 Transferred from Reserve Suspense Fund.
To approved societies.—For reserve values of new entrants and deposit contributors joining societies.
Year. £ 1912–13 … … … 868,000 1914 … … … 1,921,000 1915 … … … 2,939,000 1916 … … … 3,573,000 1917 … … … 3,483,000 1918 … … … 2,071,000 To deposit contributors' fund.—For value of contributions of persons ceasing to be members of societies and becoming deposit contributors:
Year. £ 1912–18 … … … 1,400 The corresponding sums to be transferred in respect of years subsequent to the last valuation at the end of 1918 are dependent on the financial effect of membership alterations relating to those years which is at present in process of being determined from the audited returns obtained from approved societies. 1402W In addition, there falls to be debited to the fund (a) under Section 26 of the National Health Insurance Act, 1918, a sum of approximately £35,000 for the credit of those societies whose valuations disclosed losses arising by reason of members having been persons to whom Section 47 of the National Insurance Act, 1911, applied up to the date of the coming into force of the 1918 Act, and (b) under Section 16 of the National Health Insurance Act, 1920, the sums payable to insurance committees in respect of the estimated cost (including administration expenses) of medical benefit of insured members of societies who have attained the age of 70, amounting to approximately £150,000. The net amount standing to the credit of the Reserve Suspense Fund on 31st December, 1921, was approximately £389,000 (the whole of which may be regarded as represented by cash or investments), but this is merely a provisional balance pending completion of adjustments for the purpose of giving financial effect to the changes of membership that have occured since the date of the last valuation. It is not yet possible to determine the amount of interest to be credited to the account to 31st December, 1922.
§ Mr. DAVIESasked the Minister of Health what was the amount standing to the credit of the Health Insurance Deposit Contributors' Fund at 31st December, 1922, representing the balance of sums contributed by or in respect of persons who have ceased to be insured, have died, or have emigrated, aftar taking into account, as regards the latter, any sums paid over to them upon cessation of membership, and as regards these categories any sums drawn by them in benefit or debited against them in respect of medical benefit and cost of administration during membership?
Mr. CHAMBERLAINThe approximate amount standing to the credit of the Deposit Contributors' Fund at 31st December, 1922, representing the balance of sums referred to, was £90,000. The Regulations provide that this balance, subject to certain minor reservations, shall be transferred to the Reserve Suspense Fund.
§ Mr. DAVIESasked the Minister of Health what was the approximate value of the central fund in connection with 1403W National Health Insurance at the date of the cessation of contribution by approved societies thereto; what approximately was the amount of interest earned thereon in 1922; what was the extent of the claims met out of the central fund at the first valuation of approved societies and what is the amount, in cash, to be found in 1922 and 1923, respectively, from the said fund towards the cost of medical benefit under the Act of 1922?
Mr. CHAMBERLAINThe approximate value of the central fund under the control of the National Health Insurance Joint Committee at 1st January, 1921 (from which date the carrying of any part of contributions to the fund ceased), was £1,850,000. The approximate amount of interest earned thereon in 1922 was £80,000. Claims were met out of the central fund at the first valuation of approved societies to the extent of £11,000. The amount in cash to be found from the central fund towards the cost of medical benefit under the Act of 1922 is estimated to be £365,000 for 1922 and £500,000 for 1923.
Name of Union. Amount of Loan. Date of Repayment. Total amount per £ of assessable value of all public rates levied in the year 1922–23 in the most populous urban area in the Poor Law union. £ s. d. Ashton under Lyme … … 12,000 31.3.24 17 0 Auckland … … 55,000 30.9.23 20 0 Barrow-in-Furness … … 120,000 30.9.32 15 0 Bedwelty … … 70,000 26.7.23 24 11 110,000 31.3.29 Birmingham … … 450,000 31.10.27 17 0 210,000 30.4.24 200,000 30.4.28 Bootle … … 20,000 31.3.24 13 6 Bethnal Green … … 20,000 31.3.24 18 2 Bradford (Yorks.) … … 100,000 31.3.24 15 9 Bridgend and Cowbridge … … 45,000 31.3.25 21 0 Bristol … … 100,000 30.9.24 16 3 Burnley … … 40,000 14.10.23 16 10 Cannock … … 7,300 31.3.24 13 0 Chesterfield … … 40,000 26.8.21 18 4 Cockermouth … … 50,000 31.3.26 16 0 Coventry … … 40,000 31.3.24 19 8 Crickhowell … … 5,000 8.9.27 28 6 5,000 29.9.27 Derby … … 20,000 24.10 23 17 6 20,000 31.3.24 Durham … … 50,000 31.3.24 24 5 Ecclesall Bierlow … … 200,000 31.3.27 22 6 Gateshead … … 50,000 31.3.27 17 0 Gower … … 3,600 31.3.24 10 9 Lanchester … … 69,000 30.9.23 19 10 Llanelly … … 15,000 9.6.23 18 4