§ Sir JAMES YOXALLasked whether, where contributors under the National Insurance Bill, who are members of a friendly society and also of a compulsory railway mutual provident society, are entitled to payments from the two societies which together exceed the amount of their weekly wages, any deduction from such payments would be made when the Bill comes into force; whether the Bill in any way limits the benefits which contributors may receive from the societies of which they are members; whether such benefits are limited in any way by the amount of wages they receive in health; whether contributors, who are members of the salaried staff of a railway company and receive wages during the first month of illness, and are also members of a friendly society entitled to sick pay during illness, would be precluded from obtaining the sick pay from their society because they receive salary during the first month of illness?
§ Mr. LLOYD-GEORGEThe answers to all four questions are in the negative, 969W subject to the understanding that under the Bill every approved society has the power in any case, and in particular where the rate of sickness benefit exceeds two-thirds of the ordinary rate of wages, to reduce the amount of sickness benefit at their discretion, provided that they give other benefits of an equivalent value.