Vol. 401 No. 5
93 Mr. Shatter asked the Minister for Health if he will outline the licencing procedure or other arrangements in order to increase the maximum weekly savings allowed for non-profit funds such as The Hospital Saturday Fund; if he will approve the recent application to increase the weekly limit from 50p to £2 and the pro rata increase in benefits; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Under section 23 (i) of the Voluntary Health Insurance Act, 1957 a scheme to defray the cost of any medical, surgical, hospital or other health service may not be introduced here unless a health insurance licence has been issued by the Minister for Health. The Hospital Saturday Fund, which is based in the United Kingdom, has such a licence and on 28 June last the fund submitted an application to my Department to permit increases in benefit and subscription rates. I am at present considering this application and will make a decision regarding the application as soon as possible.
