§ 45. Mr. D. GRENFELL (for Mr. MARDY JONES)asked the Prime Minister whether he is aware that several thousands of disabled miners have been deprived of their compensation payments due to colliery companies having gone into liquidation without having insured against their liabilities to their employés under the Workmen's Compensaton Acts; and, in view of the distress in which these disabled miners and their dependants have been placed, whether the Government will amend the Workmen's Compensation Acts during this Parliament?
§ Sir V. HENDERSONI have been asked to reply to this question. My right hon. Friend the Home Secretary regrets that he is not yet in a position to add anything definite to his previous answers on this subject. As he has already stated, he has been in communication with the liquidation of the colliery companies which are reported to have gone into liquidation since the 1st January, 1927, but there are still a number of replies outstanding. As previously pointed out, compulsory insurance would involve an alteration of the law of a far-reaching character, and it is impossible, therefore, for the Government to enter on the consideration of this question until the facts of the present situation have been more fully ascertained. All I can promise for the moment is that every endeavour will be made to complete the inquiries as soon as possible, and that when the informa- 3224 tion is available my right hon. Friend will give the subject his most careful and sympathetic consideration.