18. Mr. Leslie Haleasked the Minister of National Insurance whether she is aware of the hardship that is caused to 10 many chronic sufferers from industrial disease who fail to establish their claim owing to technical reasons under the provisions of the Workmen's Compensation Acts; and what provisions can be made in such cases.
§ The Minister of National Insurance (Dr. Edith Summerskill)The particular time limits to which I think my hon. Friend is referring have been removed so far as cases arising under the Industrial Injuries Act are concerned, but I have no power to modify the provisions of the Workmen's Compensation Acts to bring them into line. I do not think that any question of hardship can arise as the people concerned will be covered by other provisions of the Social Security Scheme.
Mr. HaleWill my right hon. Friend bear in mind that if she has no power to deal with it under existing legislation, she always has power to initiate new legislation? Will she also bear in mind the more limited but very serious cases of persons who suffer from a recurrence of disease after 5th July, 1948, and are debarred from compensation under either Measure?
§ Dr. SummerskillI think my hon. Friend has in mind two cases which, I agree, have certain sad features, but he will agree with me that when a new scheme is introduced there are bound to be certain people whose benefits are governed by the old scheme and who cannot be brought into the new scheme because that would introduce new anomalies.