§ 6. Mr. Prenticeasked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance how many meetings of the Industrial Injuries Advisory Council have been called in the last 12 months to discuss the problem of occupational deafness.
§ Mr. Boyd-CarpenterOccupational deafness is one of the topics which the Industrial Injuries Advisory Council is currently considering on its own initiative. But I am afraid that it would not be appropriate for me to seek from the Council the information requested by the hon. Member.
§ Mr. PrenticeCan the Minister say, therefore, what was meant by a Written Answer which I received on 16th June stating that the Advisory Council was giving a good deal of attention to this problem? When does the Minister think that any real progress will be made? Will he be able to make a statement in the foreseeable future? Does he know that over 20 countries have legislation which recognises occupational deafness as an industrial injury? Does he not think it time that we began to catch up?
§ Mr. Boyd-CarpenterThe Answer to which the hon. Member has referred meant exactly what it said. It did not mean—the hon. Member knows something of the position and status of this body—that it would be right for me to interrogate the Advisory Council as to the number of meetings on a particular subject, nor would any useful purpose be 864 served, as most of this kind of work is done anyhow in the Industrial Diseases Sub-Committee.