§ 54. Sir ROBERT THOMASasked the Prime Minister if he can state why, when the weekly sum payable under the Workmen's Compensation Act was raised by statute to the extent of three-quarters of the amount of the weekly payment, no provision was made for a corresponding addition to the maximum amount of £300 payable to the dependants of a workman whose death results from the injury; and whether it is the intention of the Government to introduce legislation to remedy this omission?
§ The SECRETARY of STATE for the HOME DEPARTMENT (Mr. Shortt)The Workmen's Compensation (War Addition) Acts, which provide for the payment of an additional weekly sum in cases of total incapacity during the War and a period of six months thereafter, were passed as emergency measures on the basis of agreements between employers and workers' representatives, and it was in accordance 599 with these agreements that they were limited to cases of incapacity. I hope to receive before the end of this month the Report of the Departmental Committee which has been inquiring into the whole subject of workmen's compensation, and as soon as the Report is received, the Government will consider the question of introducing legislation.