§ 32. Mr. Thomas. Brownasked the Minister of National Insurance what steps he proposes to take to bring persons entitled to payments under the Workmen's Compensation Acts in respect of industrial accidents or disease, occurring before the appointed day, within the new Industrial Injuries Scheme.
§ The Minister of National Insurance (Mr. James Griffiths)The Act enables unemployability supplements and constant attendance allowances of substantial amount to be paid from the appointed day to the persons referred to by my hon. Friend in appropriate cases, and I shall be making an announcement about applications for these allowances towards the end of May. Beyond this, the Act does not apply to these cases, and much as I would like to do so I have not, as yet, been able to formulate any proposals for bringing them in.
2758 The principles on which the new benefits are based are so different from those underlying Workmen's Compensation that it would not be practicable, in advance of experience of the actual working of the new Act, either to transfer existing cases to the new scheme automatically or to require the persons concerned to elect whether to come in to the new scheme or to remain on Workmen's Compensation. There would, moreover, be great difficulty, at this stage, in arriving at an equitable arrangement regarding the sums to be paid by employers and insurers in respect of the liabilities under the Workmen's Compensation Acts of which they would be relieved.
I realise, however, that uncertainty in this matter cannot be allowed to continue indefinitely. I therefore propose to took at it again as soon as we have sufficient experience of the working of the new scheme, and I hope to be able to reach a final conclusion one way or the other by the middle of next year.
§ Mr. BrownMay I ask my right hon. Friend whether the statement he has just made will be applicable to the pre-1924 cases?
§ Mr. GriffithsYes, Sir; the pre-1924 cases will be entitled to apply for unemployment, supplementary and dependants' allowances.