Mr. Gandar Dowerasked the Minister of National Insurance whether he is aware that the sum of 5s. per week is being paid to unmarried long-term patients in hospitals, that this is insufficient to cover elementary needs such as smokes, soap, toothpaste, razor blades, newspapers, writing materials and stamps and that the amount is less than was 105W paid by benevolent societies, and whether he will take steps to increase same.
§ Mr. J. GriffithsThe National Insurance Advisory Committee is still considering the appropriateness of the rates of benefit for patients maintained free of charge in hospitals which are prescribed in the National Insurance (Overlapping Benefits) Regulations. I cannot anticipate my consideration of the report of the Committee on these questions. The hon. Member is no doubt aware that hospitals in the National Health Service while not providing individually all the items mentioned do meet the ordinary needs of patients for maintenance and care.
— Edinburgh Kilmarnock £ s. d. £ s. d. 1. Consolidated Rate— (a) 1948–1949 8 6 17 5 (b) 1947–1948 8 6 15 3 2. Estimated Government Grant under the Local Government Act, 1948— (a) Equalisation Grant: Section 18 — 53,820 0 0 Section 28 68,808 0 0 7,588 0 0 (b) Transitional Grant: Section 21 198,308 0 0 — (c) Total 267,116 0 0 61,408 0 0 3. Estimated Reduction in Rateable Value under Local Government Act, 1948. 168,447 0 0 42,457 0 0 4. Estimated amount payable to the Burgh under Section 100 of the Local Government Act, 1948 166,195 0 0 8,685 0 0 The estimated increase in the expenditure of Kilmarnock on the various services in 1948–49 as compared with expenditure on similar services in 1947–48 is £67,000. This increase would have meant an increase in the rate of 4s. 1d. in the £1, but as the result of the savings arising from the transfer to the State of the health and poor law Services and the changes introduced by the Local Government Act, 1948, the potential increase is reduced to the 2s. 2d. shown above. These figures do not take account of an increase in expenditure in 1948–49 of £5,000 on water. This increase has necessitated an increase of 4d. in the water rate which together with the increase of 2s. 2d. referred to makes the total increase 2s. 6d. in the £1.