§ 25. Mr. F. Noel-Bakerasked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance whether he will now prescribe industrial deafness on the schedule to the National Insurance (Industries Injuries) Act.
§ Mr. Noel-BakerThe Minister will know that I first raised this matter with him on the case of a constituent of mine, Mr. Dettmar, whose hearing was damaged as a result of working in a factory in Swindon, but does he realise that interest in the problem of deafness resulting from conditions in factories goes very much wider than Swindon and there is great anxiety about it? Will he look again at the correspondence I have handed him and, perhaps, consult the Transport and General Workers Union and other unions concerned and see whether he can change his mind?
§ Mr. Boyd-CarpenterI do not know how closely the hon. Gentleman follows these matters or whether he noticed that a week ago, on 29th January, in reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Totnes (Mr. Mawby), I announced that I proposed to exercise my powers under Section 73 of the Industrial Injuries Act and initiate a large-scale inquiry into industrial deafness. Until that inquiry has been pursued, action of the sort which the hon. Gentleman suggests by his Question would be quite inappropriate.