Brigadier-General WRIGHTasked the Minister of Health whether he has received complaints regarding the delay in paying out sickness benefits in respect of national health insurance; and is he aware that it is the practice of certain approved societies to instruct their agents in small districts to wait until they themselves have collected the necessary money in the ordinary course of their business before paying claims, in- 620W stead of submitting the necessary claims to their society which should send them the money directly the claims are allowed?
§ Mr. GREENWOODIsolated complaints of delay in the payment of sickness benefit are received from time to time, but I have no reason to think that in general there is any avoidable delay in paying to insured persons the benefits to which they are entitled. As regards the second part of the question, I have no knowledge of any such practice as is referred to by the hon. and gallant Member, but if he will send me particulars of any case which may have come to his notice I will have it investigated.