National Insurance Act 1913

23 Provisions as to the mercantile marine

(1) In section forty-eight, subsection (1) of the principal Act, the following proviso shall be inserted :—

“Provided that, in respect of that part of such period as aforesaid during which the owner of the ship is not liable to pay wages to the master, seaman, or apprentice so suffering from disease or disablement, sickness benefit may be paid in whole or part if such master, seaman, or apprentice has dependants, and was serving on a home-trade ship, and the benefit so paid shall be paid to, or applied for the relief or maintenance of, such dependants in such manner as the society or committee by which the benefit is administered, after consultation whenever possible with the master, seaman, or apprentice, thinks fit.”

(2) The rules of the Seamen's National Insurance Society may, notwithstanding anything in subsections (4) and (8) of section forty-eight of the principal Act, provide for the admission to the society of masters, seamen, and apprentices to the sea service or sea-fishing service who are entitled to be or become voluntary contributors, and for allowing a member who leaves the sea service and who is or continues to be a voluntary contributor to remain a member of the society.