§ Mr. S. Marshallasked the Minister of National Insurance what steps she is taking to reduce the period of seven weeks which has to elapse before the issue of a further draft, when a postal draft for sickness benefit fails to be delivered to the recipient owing to loss or theft, and during which period the beneficiary is without any subsistence money.
§ Dr. SummerskillArrangements already exist for speedy replacement of a missing draft where delay in payment of the benefit due for a particular week would cause hardship. Normally, however, a reasonable period of delay is necessary before replacement, as in many cases the drafts reported as lost are, in fact, cashed.