§ 76. Mr. W. THORNEasked the Minister of Labour if he is aware of the case of a man by the name of Thomas Jackson, residing at Edmonton, who burned his right hand very badly in 2427 trying to put out the flames by rolling Miss Elsie Noble in a blanket, who died in the North Middlesex Hospital a few hours after being badly burned, owing to her clothes catching fire from a candle she was carrying when getting coal from a coal cupboard; that at the time the man was receiving unemployment pay, but in consequence of his hand being burned his unemployment pay has been stopped; if he is aware that the National Health Insurance people stated that he was not eligible to recover benefit from them; and if he will take action in the matter?
§ Dr. MACNAMARAMr. Jackson was paid his benefit in full last Thursday and will be paid again in the ordinary course to-day. There has therefore been no interruption in payment. The facts are as follow: When he was questioned at the Exchange with regard to his burnt hand he gave no details beyond saying that he had met with an accident, and unemployment benefit was consequently suspended for the future. The full facts first came to the knowledge of the Exchange from the Press reports and were immediately submitted to the insurance officer, who decided that benefit should continue. The question of sickness benefit is one for my right hon. Friend the Minister of Health.