HC Deb 08 June 1939 vol 348 cc584-6
31. Mr. T. Smith

asked the Home Secretary whether any communication has been received from the Royal Commission on Workmen's Compensation with regard to its attitude to any amending legislation of the present Act that may be introduced pending the issue of its report; and, if so, the nature of the communication?

Sir S. Hoare

No, Sir, I have not received any such communication.

Mr. Smith

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware of the precarious position of men who are totally incapacitated in industry, and is he also aware that there is general agreement in this House that the present Act ought to be amended pending the recommendations of the Royal Commission on the subject?

Sir S. Hoare

I am afraid that I cannot add anything to what I have already said on the subject. We cannot deal with the major issues until we have received the report of the Royal Commission?

Mr. Greenwood

I do not think my hon. Friend was asking the Government to deal with major issues. Is it not generally admitted in this House that there are many anomalies and cases of hardship which go back for many years, which might be remedied quite apart from the larger issues which are before the Royal Commission?

Sir S. Hoare

The Government have already made their position clear on that point. At the same time we must allow the Royal Commission to carry out their work in the way they think best, and in the circumstances I do not see that I can do anything further.

Mr. Greenwood

Is it not the responsibility of the Government, apart from the duties of the Royal Commission, to take time by the forelock and introduce legislation to deal with anomalies which are admitted on all sides of the House and which do not raise the wider questions with which the Royal Commission are dealing?

Sir S. Hoare

It is sometimes difficult to dissociate minor issues from some of the major issues.

Mr. G. Griffiths

Did not the Prime Minister

Mr. Deputy-Speaker

We have already had several supplementaries on this question.

Mr. Griffiths

I made an attempt to ask a supplementary, but I gave way to my Leader, which, I think, is the proper thing to do.

Mr. Deputy-Speaker

Does the hon. Member wish to ask Question No. 32.

Mr. Griffiths

Yes, Sir, I should, but I should also have liked to have put a supplementary on Question 31.