§ Mr. ASTORasked the hon. Member for St. George's-in-the-East, as representing the Insurance Commissioners, how many local authorities or insurance committees applied, under Section 17 (2) of the National Insurance Act, for permission to treat dependants of insured persons for tuberculosis; and how many of these were recommended by the Local Government Board or the Insurance Commission to treat these dependants under the Hob-house Grant?
§ Mr. WEDGWOOD BENNThe extension by insurance committees of sanatorium benefit to dependants is a matter within their own discretion, and does not require the consent of the Commissioners, though any application for funds under Section 17 (2) is required to be transmitted through them. Applications have been transmitted and sanctioned in respect of the year 1913 in the case of all areas in Wales with one exception, twelve areas in Scotland, and one area in Ireland. In the case of England, the alternative procedure under the Hobhouse Grant was generally recommended at an early stage in the negotiations between insurance committees and councils, and the few applications proposed under Section 17 (2) have accordingly not been proceeded with.