§ 39. Mr. WEDGWOODasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether his attention has been called to the Milroy lectures, delivered by Dr. Shufflebotham before the Royal College of Physicians, dealing with miners' diseases; and whether the Home Office contemplate adding miners' itch to those industrial diseases which are covered by the Workmen's Compensation Act?
§ The SECRETARY of STATE for the HOME DEPARTMENT (Mr. McKenna)I have seen a report of these lectures, but have otherwise no information in regard to this ailment. It is not mentioned in the Report of the Committee on Compensation for Industrial Diseases, and no representations have been made to me on the subject. If, as I gather from the report of the lectures, the ailment cannot be regarded as specific to the employment in the sense indicated by the Committee in their Report, I could not add it to the Schedule in the Workmen's Compensation Act; but any cases of disablement caused by this ailment will be covered by the National Insurance Act.
§ Mr. WEDGWOODIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that this disease often lasts for three weeks?
§ Mr. McKENNAThat is not relevant to, the remedy which my hon. Friend suggests.