230 
MAJORITY REPORT. 
“ Tn the early days of the insurance medical service there may 
have been some reason for separate arrangements, but in view 
of the modifications since made to meet the needs of temporary 
residents and travellers, and the development of the collective 
responsibility of insurance practitioners to provide treatment 
(including emergency treatment), the initial reasons no longer 
exist for the exceptional arrangements for members of this 
Society which do not extend to persons in the mercantile marine 
who join other Approved Societies.’ (App. XXXVI, 168.) We 
also questioned the representatives of the Ministry of Health on 
the subject, and the following reply indicates the views of the 
Ministry :—** Since medical benefit was first instituted, the 
arrangements for the treatment of temporary residents and the 
recognition of the right of any insured person to treatment 
whether on the list of a doctor or not, make it, in our view, 
unnecessary to continue the exceptional treatment of the Sea- 
men’s National Tnsurance Society. A large number of foreign- 
going seamen are members of other Societies, and, as far as I 
know, there is no evidence that these persons experience any 
difficulty in obtaining whatever treatment they need under the 
ordinary provisions of the Act.” (Brock, Q. 23,995.) 
559. We are satisfied that whatever may have been the position 
at the inception of the Scheme there is no longer any necessity 
for special arrangements for the medical benefit of members of 
the Seamen’s National Insurance Society and we, therefore, 
recommend that these arrangements be discontinued and that 
members of the Society should in future receive their medical 
benefit under the normal arrangements. 
553. Tt was urged upon us by the Seamen's National Insurance 
Society (App. XXXI, 43) and the National Sailors’ and Firemen’s 
Union (App. XLITI, 96) that an increased rate of administration 
allowance should be made to Approved Societies in respect of 
members serving as foreign-going seamen. We do not consider 
that any such claim should be allowed, as it would open the door 
to similar claims in respect of other classes of insured persons. 
Tn any case the position would probably be met by the adoption 
of the revised svstem of collecting contributions which we have 
suggested. 
Tar T.AscAR FUND. 
554. Tt may be convenient to deal here with certain suggestions 
which were made to us by Sir Norman Hill when giving evidence 
on behalf of the Special Fund for Seamen, commonly called the 
T.ascar Fund (App. XXXII; Q. 12,178-216). This is a Fund 
derived from the contributions payable by shipowners in 
respect oflseamen having no domicile in the United Kingdom, 
and the fund is used for providing pensions to men between 65 
and 70 years of age who have had long sea service. These pen- 
sions are at present restricted to members of Approved Societies,