HC Deb 24 November 1927 vol 210 cc2041-2
10. Mr. T. WILLIAMS

asked the Home Secretary whether his attention has been called to the case between Thomas Lovett, plaintiff, and the Yorkshire Coal-owners' Mutual Indemnity Company, Limited, defendants, in the High Court of Justice, King's Bench Division, on 18th July, 1927, where the defendant company had issued a certificate purporting to have been signed by the plaintiff, who is a medical practitioner, and which was calculated to deprive an injured workman of his compensation; and, if so, is it his intention to take power to prevent any combination of employers similar to the defendant company from conducting compensation business in future?

Sir W. JOYNSON-HICKS

I have now received a copy of the apology which was made by the company to the plaintiff in the action, and in view of the serious nature of the case, as shown by the terms of the apology, I am referring it to the Director of Public Prosecutions for further investigation.

Mr. WILLIAMS

While I appreciate the answer of the right hon. Gentleman, might I further draw his attention to paragraph No. 6 in the apology, which distinctly states that the defendant company is in the habit of submitting certificates of this description to medical men, who are not supposed to know the intricacies of compensation law, for no other purpose than to defraud injured men?

Mr. SPEAKER

The hon. Member ought not to make an allegation in a supplementary question; I ought to see the question in writing.

Mr. WILLIAMS

rose—

Mr. SPEAKER

I cannot allow at Question Time an allegation on a matter which may come before the Courts.

Mr. WILLIAMS

On a point of Order. The allegation is a portion of an apology tendered by a defendant company in a case in which an injured workman had apparently been defrauded of his compensation as a result of the certificate issued. The allegation is not an allegation of my own inspiration, but is merely part of an apology written and signed by the defendant company referred to.

Mr. SPEAKER

I understand that the matter is in the hands of the Public Prosecutor.