MAJORITY REPORT, 
subject with which we were appointed to deal, expert actuarial 
advice would be essential. We, therefore, approached the 
Minister of Health, recommending that he should set up a 
Departmental Actuarial Committee to assist us in dealing with 
such actuarial questions as would necessarily arise in the course 
of our investigation. This recommendation was accepted by the 
Minister, who, on the 19th November, 1924, appointed a Com- 
mittee under the chairmanship of Sir Alfred Watson, the 
Government Actuary and a member of the Commission, with 
the following terms of reference :— 
“To advise the Royal Commission on National Health 
Insurance actuarially as to whether the present basic. con- 
tribution under the National Health Insurance Acts is in 
fact required for the existing benefits (including the cost of 
Societies’ and Insurance Committees’ administration), or 
whether such a rearrangement of the financial basis of the 
Scheme would be justified as would reduce the amount allo- 
cated to the present benefits and leave a margin for other 
purposes ; and thereafter to continue in being to furnish such 
further actuarial advice as may be required by the Royal Com- 
mission on any matters arising in the course of their inquiry.”’ 
In addition to the Chairman the Committee was composed of 
Mr. A. D. Besant, President of the Institute of Actuaries, who 
is also a member of the Commission, Mr. A. Henry, the Deputy 
Government Actuary, and Messrs. R. G. Maudling and Li. E. 
Clinton, Fellows of the Institute of Actuaries. The Committee 
presented to us three reports dated 13th October, 1925, Tth 
December, 1925, and 18th December, 1925, and these appear as 
Appendix A to our Report. We desire to acknowledge our 
indebtedness to the Committee for the valuable assistance which 
we have derived from their labours.