§ Sir B. FALLEasked the Minister of Health whether it is the intention that a man who works practically all day on a Monday as a stage hand, every evening from Monday to Saturday, inclusive, and Saturday afternoons as well, is treated as non-insurable under the National Health Insurance Act; whether he will define the terms part time and stage hand for the purposes of national health insurance; and if he will state whether stage hands who are part-time workers are permitted to be insured under the National Health Insurance Act and, if not, whether this is strictly enforced?
Mr. CHAMBERLAINA man working as described in the first part of the question, is ordinarily excluded from compulsory insurance by an Order referring to subsidiary employments. As to the second part, the term part-time is explained in an official memorandum which I am sending to the hon. Baronet and the term "stage hand" bears the meaning usually given to it in the entertainments industry. As to the last part, the excluding Order applies to all part-time stage hands, and I am not aware of any failure to observe it. I may add that I am considering, in conjunction with the principal associations in the industry, whether the Order needs amendment so far as employments in theatres are concerned.