§ 30. Mr. Stonehouseasked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance if he will amend the Regulations under the Industrial Injuries Act to enable deafness caused by industrial conditions to qualify for benefit.
§ The Minister of Pensions and National Insurance (Mr. John Boyd-Carpenter)No, Sir. I would refer the hon. Member to the reply which I gave to the hon. Member for East Ham, North (Mr. Prentice) on 28th November.
§ Mr. StonehouseIs the Minister aware that there are hundreds of cases of deafness, including many in my constituency, caused by industrial conditions? What investigations has he carried out? Will he accept an invitation to visit my constituency to see for himself?
§ Mr. Boyd-CarpenterAs to the first part of the hon. Member's supplementary question, I would refer him to the Answer I gave to his hon. Friend the Member for East Ham, North, which made it clear that this matter was before the Industrial Injuries Advisory Council. The hon. Member also knows that a good deal of research is going on, with which I keep in touch. If he has studied the provisions of Section 55 of the Industrial Injuries Act he will see that this is not a clear or easy matter. As for the second part of the supplementary 22 question, it would be a pleasure to accept the hon. Member's invitation, but I do not propose to do so from this Box.