asked the Minister for Local Government and Public Health whether the Second Valuation of all Approved Societies has been completed: whether a report on the valuation will be published: and if he can state (1) the number of societies with a disposable surplus available for providing additional benefits and the amount so available; (2) the number of Societies showing a deficit on (a) the Benefit Account and (b) the Administration Account, and (3) the number of societies that have prepared schemes for providing non-cash benefits out of their disposable surpluses showing (a) the number of societies that have adopted each such Additional Benefit, and (b) the sum set aside for providing the benefit.
WRITTEN ANSWER. - SECOND VALUATION OF APPROVED SOCIETIES.
The Second Valuation of all societies and branches for the five years ended 31/12/1923 has been completed, and reports have been furnished to the National Health Insurance Commissioners.
A report on the Valuation as a whole is in course of preparation by the Valuer. On its receipt by the Commission it will be printed and published.
The number of societies and branches valued was as under:—
|
Centralised societies |
79 |
|
Society with branches (this society has 20 branches) |
1 |
|
Total number of units valued |
99 |
The particulars of the valuation results of these units are as follows:
Centralised Societies.
|
(a) With disposable surplus |
65 |
|
(b) With surplus not disposable |
7 |
|
(c) With deficiency |
7 |
|
Total |
79 |
Branches.
|
(a) With disposable surplus |
19 |
|
(b) With surplus not disposable |
1 |
|
(c) With deficiency |
Nil |
|
Total |
20 |
The number of units with disposable surplus is as under:
|
Centralised societies |
65 |
|
Branches |
19 |
|
Total |
84 |
|
Amount of disposable surplus of those 84 units |
£308,719 |
(The total surplus for all units, excluding the units with deficiency, was £626,811, of which £318,092 was carried forward to the next valuation. The total amount of deficiency for the units in deficiency was £13,163.)
The total number of units in deficiency was 7.
The valuation was made in respect of assets and liabilities of each unit as a whole. Any surplus or deficiency on the Administration Account was taken by the Valuer into account when valuing the society. The Administration Account of a society is made up yearly, and deficiencies, if any, existing at the end of each year are dealt with in the following year. The account itself is not a subject of valuation, only the balance at the end of a valuation period being included in the valuation balance sheet as an asset or a liability, as the case may be.
The following table shows the general allocations of the disposable surplus of the 84 units referred to above:
|
Number which have provided cash benefits only in their Schemes. |
Number which have provided benefits in kind only. |
Number which have provided benefits in cash and kind. |
|
|
Societies |
4 |
5 |
56 |
|
Branches |
Nil |
Nil |
19 |
|
— |
— |
— |
|
|
Total |
4 |
5 |
75 |
Three of these societies could, in addition, have provided benefits in kind, but they declined to put forward any schemes except cash. The balances have been carried forward to the next valuation.
Two of these societies are giving increases, so far as cash is concerned, in maternity benefits only.
The classes of additional benefits and the number of units by which they have been adopted are as follows:—
|
No. of societies by which adopted. |
No. of branches by which adopted. |
|
|
Dental benefit |
55 |
19 |
|
Hospital and convalescent home benefit |
44 |
15 |
|
Medical and surgical appliances |
8 |
16 |
|
Optical benefit |
33 |
18 |
|
Hospital treatment for dependents |
2 |
— |
|
Nursing |
1 |
— |
|
Relief of Distress |
1 |
— |
The total net amount available, for the provision of non-cash benefits out of the disposable surplus, after societies had provided for their schemes of cash benefits, amounted to £162,727 which, with the addition of State Grant and accruing interest together with the balances allocated but not spent on non-cash benefits as a result of the first valuation, made available for non-cash benefits during the five years from 4th July, 1926, an annual sum of £52,739, allowance being made for the three cases referred to in which balances available for non-cash benefits were not allocated but were carried forward to the next valuation.
The allocations in respect of various non-cash benefits made by societies for each year for the quinquennium July 1926-31 are as follows:—
|
£ |
s. |
d. |
|
|
Dental benefit |
29,698 |
0 |
0 |
|
Hospital and convalescent home benefit |
15,791 |
10 |
0 |
|
Medical and surgical applicances |
857 |
10 |
0 |
|
Optical benefit |
5,521 |
0 |
0 |
|
Hospital treatment for dependents |
491 |
0 |
0 |
|
Nursing |
160 |
0 |
0 |
|
Relief of Distress |
30 |
0 |
0 |
|
Total— |
52,549 |
0 |
0 |
The annual amount allocated by a society to any benefit may be varied with the consent of the Commission.