HC Deb 15 July 1943 vol 391 cc369-70
55. General Sir George Jeffreys

asked the Minster of Agriculture whether temporary voluntary workers on the land are covered by insurance against illness, injuries or death entailed by their work?

Mr. Hudson

Most temporary workers will receive wages from their employers and will be entitled to the benefits of the Workmen's Compensation Acts. In certain contingencies the amount of compensation recoverable under these Acts by temporary workers might, however, be small, and the Government has therefore decided that a person who does not normally work either regularly or seasonally in agriculture but who takes up temporary seasonal work and suffers an accident which results in loss of earnings shall be guaranteed the same compensation as would be payable under the Workmen's Compensation Acts to a person of the same age and sex employed full time in agriculture at the statutory minimum weekly wage who sustained the same injury.

Sir G. Jeffreys

Will my right hon. Friend consider reminding farmers of their obligations under the Workmen's Compensation Act and the desirability of covering themselves by insurance?

Mr. Hudson

I think that has been done already.