§ 1. Mr. Skinnerasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what plans he has to introduce legislation to cover latent cases excluded from any payment by way of Industrial Injuries or Workmen's Compensation Acts.
§ The Under-Secretary of State for Health and Social Security (Mr. Paul Dean)None, Sir. Previous study by successive administrations disclosed major practical problems. A further study is however proceeding with the co-operation of the Trades Union Congress.
§ Mr. SkinnerI am pleased to hear that there is another study proceeding, and I am also pleased to know that the TUC has been invited to assist. I hope 1378 that the NUM can help in this matter. Is the hon. Gentleman aware that it represents no more than about 50,000 people in all, many of whom are seriously injured and do not get a penny by way of compensation? I hope that the hon. Gentleman will not adopt the attitude that apparently has been adopted previously whereby it appears to the man in question that all that is happening is that the passage of time is disposing of the whole problem.
§ Mr. DeanI assure the hon. Gentleman that there is no lack of good will here. It is a very complicated and difficult problem which successive Administrations have tackled. We are grateful for the co-operation of the TUC in the matter, and I hope that we shall find a satisfactory solution.
§ Mr. SpeakerOrder. I must point out that long supplementary questions mean that I have to rule out others.