§ 2. Mr. TINKERasked the Home Secretary if, seeing that since the judgment delivered in the House of Lords on the Bevan v. Nixon's Navigation Company, Limited, a number of persons are being deprived of compensation, he will say if he intends to amend the Workmen's Compensation Act?
§ Sir W. JOYNSON-HICKSThe hon. Member, I think, overrates the effects of the decision in question, but I agree that under present conditions the case of the partially disabled workman who is lit for light work only may be, and often is, a hard one, and the possibility of taking some steps to improve his position under the Act has been the subject of careful inquiry and consideration. The question is one of great difficulty-, but I hope it may be possible shortly to reach a conclusion.
§ Mr. G. HALLCan the right hon. Gentleman say whether the Government are now considering the question of giving facilities for a Measure introduced under the Ten Minutes Rule to deal with the point contained in the question?
§ Sir W. JOYNSON-HICKSThe hon. Gentleman knows that it really is not quite a non-contentious matter. The question as to whether time can be found for it is a matter for the right bon. Gentleman the Chief Whip, and I will speak to him on the subject.
§ 8. Mr. TINKERasked the Home Secretary what the extra cost would be to the seven industries which have to make returns under the Workmen's Compensation Act, shipping, factories, 2153 docks, mines, quarries, constructional work, and railways, if the waiting period of three days, winch a workman cannot claim unless his injury keeps him from work for four weeks, was done away with and compensation paid from the time of accident?
§ Sir W. JOYNSON-HICKSI can give no exact figure, but it is estimated that if compensation was dated back to the day of the accident in all cases lasting more than three days, the extra cost to the seven industrial groups in question would be about £150,000 to £160,000 a year. I am advised that there are no means of forming any estimate as to the additional charge which would be imposed if cases lasting three days or less which are at present outside the Act were included.
§ 9. Mr. TINKERasked the Home Secretary if he is aware that the workmen's compensation statistics presented to Parliament each year do not give a complete list, and that no returns are given from agriculture, road transport, building, and many other industries and occupations; and will he say if he intends to ask Parliament to extend Section 42 of the consolidating Act of 1925 which gives him powers to call for returns from seven great industries, so that all who come under the Workmen's Compensation Act must make returns?
§ Sir W. JOYNSON-HICKSYes, Sir, the present Regulations under Section 42, which require returns to be furnished, do not extend to all industries. The hon. Member will find the reasons for this explained in the introduction to the statistics for 1908. The reasons still hold good, but the extension of the Regulations to other industries is rioted for consideration as soon as conditions permit. No fresh legislation is required for the purpose.
§ Mr. TINKERMay I understand from the answer that the right hon. Gentleman has the power if he cares to use it at the present time?
§ Sir W. JOYNSON-HICKSYes.
§ Mr. TINKERAnd that he intends to use it later on?
§ Sir W. JOYNSON-HICKSThe right hon. Gentleman will use it in all cases 2154 where he thinks that it can be done effectively.
§ Mr. TINKERIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that we do not get the complete figures at the present time, and does he not think that for the purpose of knowing what the cost is lit would be much better for everybody that that should be done?
§ Sir W. JOYNSON-HICKSI am afraid that the hon. Member has not the Regulations in his mind. I will send him a copy of them, and, if he is satisfied that there are not, real reasons which make it difficult to obtain the returns regarding certain industries, perhaps he will put down a question.