§ Mr. EVELYN CECILasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he is aware that, at present, if a man leaves his lodgings and goes into a hospital he gets his sick pay, which is sufficient to enable him to keep on his lodgings while he is in hospital, and help him to a convalescent home afterwards, but that, under Clause 14 (b) of the National Insurance Bill, if he has no dependent, his sick benefit goes to the local insurance committee, so that he has none of this money with which to keep on his lodgings or get to a convalescent home; and whether he proposes to make any Amendment to the Bill to meet such cases?
§ Mr. LLOYD GEORGEThe principle of sickness benefit is that it should assist a man to maintain himself and his family while incapacitated by illness. If he is being maintained without expense to himself, and has no dependents this principle does not apply. I may remind the hon. Member that the money thus saved to the committees will be used largely in contributions to hospitals and similar institutions.