§ Mr. John Fraserasked the Minister of Health why a married state registered nurse employed in a National Health Service hospital and paying for insurance stamps at the reduced rate available to married women is paid sick pay at a rate which assumes that she is in receipt of sickness benefits when she is not.
§ Mr. K. RobinsonBecause the Whitley Council have agreed that sick pay and136W sickness benefit together must not exceed normal pay and it would not be equitable for a nurse paying the reduced rate of National Insurance contribution to receive more sick pay from her employer than one paying the full rate, particularly as the employer's contribution is the same in both cases. A married woman who wishes to avoid a reduction in income while sick may start paying full insurance contributions at any time.