I move:—
That a supplementary sum not exceeding £60,200 be granted to defray the Charge which will come in course of payment during the year ending the 31st day of March, 1950, for certain Grants-in-Aid of the National Health Insurance Fund and for other payments under the National Health Insurance Acts, 1911 to 1948, and the Supplies and Services (Temporary Provisions) Act, 1946 (No. 22 of 1946).
Practically all this money, £60,000 of it, is necessary to meet the increased Exchequer grants which fall to be made by the Exchequer in respect of its contribution towards actual benefits and the administration of the National Health Insurance Acts. The Exchequer pays a contribution of two-ninths of the actual amount spent on benefits and administration. This year, the amount of money spent on benefits and administration was higher than in the previous year. It was higher in respect of sickness, disablement and maternity benefit, and the more money spent by the National Health Insurance Society under these heads, the greater is the State contribution towards the benefits thus paid, and, if administration costs increase, the State is also liable to pay the increased amount of two-ninths of the costs of administration. In this particular year, 1949, sickness, disablement and maternity benefits were higher and thus more costly than in 1948, and expenditure on dental, optical and hospital benefits were also higher. Similarly, administration costs were higher, inasmuch as the society had to meet increased charges, due to generally increased costs, and also because of the fact that the remuneration of the staff of the National Health Insurance Society was increased during the year. A sum of £60,000 of the £60,200 in the Supplementary Estimate is required to meet increased charges under the headings to which I have adverted, and the remaining £200 is required in respect of increased rail and bus fares and increased costs of medical examination.
Supplementary Estimate agreed to.