MR. J. WALTONOn behalf of the honourable Member for the Normanton Division, I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he is aware that, among other doctors of indemnity societies, one Dr. Macphail, of Barnsley, especially assumes that he has power, under the Compensation Act, 1897, to insist upon patients submitting themselves for examination at his office or surgery at Barnsley, and in cases where workmen have been injured, writes to them that they must so attend on certain days and at certain times; whether this or any other doctor can, under the Act, order any injured work man to attend his office or surgery for the purpose of examination, seeing that he is an insurance or an indemnity association officer; and, if such action the port of a doctor is a violation of the Act, what steps he will take to prevent such practices in future.
§ * SIR M. WHITE RIDLEYI have not, heard of the case referred to. I presume that the honourable Member is referring to cases in which a workman has given notice of an accident or is in receipt of a weekly payment. In these cases the Act requires a workman to "submit himself for examination" by a medical practitioner provided by the employer or by an insurance society. It is impossible for me to lay down any general rule as to when and how this obligation should be fulfilled, and I have no power to interfere in the matter.