HC Deb 23 November 1914 vol 68 cc758-9
10. Sir C. KINLOCH-COOKE

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether he is aware that in the case of partial incapacity (civil servant, His Majesty's dockyard) a weekly payment must not exceed the difference between the amount of the average weekly earnings of the workman before the accident and the average weekly amount which he is earning, or able to earn, in some suitable employment or business after the accident but must bear such relation to the amount of that difference as in the circumstances of the case may appear proper; that a hired hammerman now employed in the Devonport dockyard is for this reason receiving no compensation pension for the months of August and September; that the man in question has been compelled to work overtime owing to the exigencies of war and thought he was doing right in so doing; and whether, in these circumstances, some exception can be made, as otherwise the position would be that a man is compelled to work overtime to save the Government paying him the pension or compensation to which he is by their own action entitled?

Dr. MACNAMARA

The reply to the first portion of the question is in the affirmative, the procedure being in conformity with the provisions of Clause 3 of the First Schedule to the Workmen's Compensation Act, 1906. As this procedure is statutory, I cannot hold out any hope of an exception being made in the case referred to in the latter part of the question.

Sir C. KINLOCH-COOKE

Does not the right hon. Gentleman think it fair to inform the man of the fact, so that he would not be compelled to go on working overtime and have the amount deducted from his pension?

Dr. MACNAMARA

The men had the the opportunity of coming under the Workmen's Compensation Act or under our scheme. The matter was fully stated to the men at the time?

Sir C. KINLOCH-COOKE

I am afraid the right hon. Gentleman does not quite understand the case. This occurs in time of War and, if the man is obliged to work overtime, he could not possibly have had placed before him whether he would come under one scheme or the other. Cannot something be done to relieve this poor man from being compelled to work overtime? [HON. MEMBERS: "Order, order!"] It is very important to the man.