19,

2)

MAJORITY REPORT.

from an increase of contribution or of the Exchequer grant
(neither of which changes, as we have previously stated, can in
our opinion be contemplated as possible in the near future), by
which any general extension of the present statutory benefits can
be provided for all insured persons. In Chapter X we recommend
that the scope of the present medical benefit should be extended
to include a specialist and consultant service, and we are satisfied
that under the pooling scheme suggested above it would be possible
to introduce this extension at once. When it is recognised that
one effect of the partial scheme of pooling which we recommend
will be to enable this important extension of the benefits of
National Health Insurance to be provided at once for all insured
persons, much of the opposition which might otherwise have been
aroused against our proposal will, we trust, be allayed.