§ Mr. Maurice Macmillanasked the Minister of Social Security what was the total amount of the deductions made from all kinds of National Insurance benefits while their recipients were in hospital; and what was the average amount per person so affected represented by this total in the last year.
§ Miss HerbisonIt is estimated that the amount involved in the year 1965–66 was £17½ million, and that the average amount of the deduction per person was about 50s. a week, the number of people whose National Insurance benefit is reduced under these provisions at any one time being of the order of 135,000.