§ Viscount Corvedaleasked the Minister of National Insurance whether he will consider bringing mentally deficient persons, outside institutions and unfit for work, into any future Insurance Act thereby placing them on a level with the blind.
§ Mr. SteeleSuch mentally deficient persons, in common with all other persons of working age in the community including the blind, are within the scope of the National Insurance Act, 1946. When this Act comes into operation they will be entitled to its benefits according to the class in which they fall and the contributions paid. In so far as they may have been unable to pay the necessary qualifying contributions owing to infirmity it is the intention of the Government that they should be brought within the scope of the new national assistance scheme under which provision will be made for them according to their needs.