§ 8 and 9. Mr. Peter Archerasked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) what action he intends to take in consequence of the Report on Hearing and Noise in Industry; and if he will make a statement;
§ (2) whether he will now prescribe industrial deafness for the purposes of the National Insurance (Industrial Injuries) Act.
§ The Minister of State, Department of Health and Social Security (Mr. David Ennals)My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State referred the research report to the Industrial Injuries Advisory Council for appraisal. In the appraisal, which was published in Cmnd. 4145 the Council indicated that it thought the research findings established that the time had come when it could usefully pursue the problem of whether there are degrees of occupational deafness which satisfy the conditions for prescription laid down by Section 56(2) of the Industrial Injuries Act. My right hon. Friend accepted its view and formally referred the question to the Council, in terms set out in my reply to the hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton (Mr. Marks) on 22nd October last.—[Vol. 788, c. 270–1.]
§ Mr. ArcherI warmly welcome my hon. Friend's reply to Question No. 9, which will be well received widely, as well as the action which is being taken about prevention. Is my right hon. Friend aware that, since putting down the Question, I have received a substantial number of letters from people whose personal experience confirms the tentative findings of the report? May we have some preventive action before more people are in a position to confirm this?
§ Mr. EnnalsI am afraid that prevention is a matter for my right hon. Friend the First Secretary.
§ Sir J. Vaughan-MorganDoes not that last reply show what a tragedy it is that, in the new proposals in the Green Paper, the responsibility for industrial health is not taken over from the Department of Employment and Productivity?
§ Mr. EnnalsThat is, even more so, a further question.