asked the Minister for Local Government and Public Health whether, in view of the decreased purchasing power of wages, he will introduce proposals for legislation to raise the limit of remuneration for insurability under the Widows' and Orphans' Pensions Acts to include persons earning up to £500 per annum.
Ceisteanna.—Questions. Oral Answers. - Limit of Remuneration for Insurance.
It is not clear what precisely the Deputy has in mind having regard to the specific reference in the question to the Widows' and Orphans' Pensions Acts only. It would seem, however, that he is concerned with the position of non-manual workers with over £250 a year as all manual workers are insurable under the Widows' and Orphans' Pensions Acts (and the National Health Insurance Acts) irrespective of the rate of remuneration. The scheme of contributory widows' and orphans' pensions is interlocked with the National Health Insurance Scheme and persons insured under the latter scheme are insurable under the pensions scheme. Manual workers are insurable without any limit of remuneration but non-manual workers with salaries exceeding £250 a year are excepted from insurance under both schemes. Where the annual remuneration of a non-manual worker rises above this figure it is open to him to continue in insurance as a voluntary contributor under the National Health and Widows' and Orphans' Pensions Acts.
The Minister is aware that non-manual workers in receipt of not more than £250 a year are insurable compulsorily under the Act. When their income exceeds £250 they are excluded from the provisions of the Act but they may opt to come in as voluntary contributors. In the case of some of these persons their income for some years may be £250 and for other years over £250, with the result that there is a situation constantly arising in which they are voluntary insurers for one period and compulsory insurers for another period. Would the Minister not consider the question of raising the ceiling of insurability so as to ensure that these persons are permanently covered by the provisions of the Widows' and Orphans' Act? The Minister is aware that the value of £5 to-day is very much less than when this Act was introduced. Would the Minister bear that fact in mind in considering this matter?
The advantages of insuring under the scheme are so great that if a person who has already, under the compulsory side of the scheme, contributed a substantial sum in subscriptions is not prepared to continue during an interim period as a voluntary contributor, I do not think that I should be compelled to make special provision for him.
Would the Minister bear in mind that even non-manual workers who are not at present under the scope of the scheme and who have at present more than £250 per annum, cannot even become voluntary contributors? Would the Minister consider raising the scope of the limit as such persons cannot become voluntary contributors unless they are at first compulsory contributors?
The Deputy must realise that if we bring a person into the scheme by compulsion, we impose a burden on his employer in the first instance and also on the general community in the shape of the State. I think we ought to take up the attitude that there is an obligation on such people in an ordinary, prudent way to provide for themselves, their wives and families.
Is the Minister not aware that no matter how desirous a person in receipt of more than £250 per annum may be to provide for his wife and children after his death he cannot do it under the present provisions of the Act?
There are other agencies of which he can avail. As is usual, however, that is not the question which the Deputy has on the Order Paper.