§ Mr. L. Jonesasked the Minister of Pensions whether a factory worker who, while working on after an air-raid warning has been sounded, receives an injury 1149W as a result of an air raid, is entitled to an allowance under the Personal Injuries (Civilians) Scheme, 1940?
§ Sir W. WomersleyWorkers who have been permitted or encouraged to continue at work after an air-raid warning has been sounded would not by so doing prejudice their claims under the Personal Injuries (Civilians) Scheme in respect of any war injuries they may sustain.
§ Mr. Jonesasked the Minister of Pensions (1) whether a factory worker who, while continuing urgent necessary work after an air-raid warning has been sounded and external lighting has been extinguished, receives an injury due to accidentally falling or striking against some object as a result of these black-out conditions, is entitled to an allowance under the Personal Injuries (Civilians) Scheme, 1940;
(2) whether a factory worker who, while proceeding to an air-raid shelter after an air-raid warning has sounded and enemy aircraft are overhead, either dropping bombs or not, receives an injury by accidentally falling or striking against some object in the factory, is entitled to an allowance under the Personal Injuries (Civilians) Scheme, 1940?
§ Sir W. WomersleyIn reply to both these Questions, I would say that it is not possible to give a categorical reply to hypothetical questions. While, ordinarily, accidental injuries sustained during blackout conditions would clearly not of themselves be within the statutory definition of war injuries, each case would have to be determined in the light of its individual circumstances.