§ Mr. Parkerasked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance how many people on average are affected yearly by the reduction in benefits of patients after a long stay in hospital as set out in leaflet N.I. 9; what is the total amount of benefits withheld; what is the cost involved in administering the reductions; and whether the amounts withheld are paid over to the hospitals concerned.
§ Mr. PentlandI regret that the precise information asked for is not available. It is estimated that the number of persons whose National Insurance benefit is reduced under these provisions at any point of time is of the order of 130,000 and that the amount involved in a year is about £17 million. It is not possible to isolate the cost of administering the reductions.
As regards the last part of the Question, the hospital expenses fall on public funds and no adjustment is made on account of the reductions.