LORDS AMENDMENTS. (Hansard, 6 August 1924)

§ LORD PARMOOR:
My Lords, the next point upon which there is disagreement is as regards the words inserted after the word "worker" in line 23. This refers 497 to the expression "able-bodied man means any male worker who is not incapable of performing the work of a normally efficient worker." There were two Amendments, one inserting an age limit, and the other taking out words that were originally in the Bill. In the original definition as the Bill came to us the expression "able-bodied man" means "any male worker who is not incapable by reason of physical injury or mental deficiency, or any infirmity due to age or any other cause, of performing the work of a normally efficient worker." I move that we do not insist upon our Amendments.

§ VISCOUNT CECIL OF CHELWOOD:
My Lords, I venture to make a suggestion to the Government upon this matter. If your Lordships decide not to insist upon your Amendments I suggest that an Amendment in lieu of them should be accepted, and that is that we should strike out this definition altogether. The Lord President of the Council was good enough to say he was not unfavourable to that at an earlier stage of this discussion. The more I look at this the more convinced I am that it is quite unnecessary to have a definition of able-bodied man. If you look again at subsection (4) of Clause 2, which is the only place where "able-bodied man" is mentioned, you will find that it is perfectly clear what is intended. The man as to whom any special application for a permit to take a lower wage has been applied for is the kind of man who will have a wife and family. That is really what is meant, and, that being so, I really do not see the advantage of putting in all these words which certainly will give rise to misconception as they stand. I think we convinced the whole House, including, I believe, the Treasury Bench, that the actual definition was neither grammar nor sense, and in these circumstances I hope the Government will consent to strike this out. That I think is the best way out of the difficulty. I understand that if we do not insist on our Amendments that I can move an Amendment in lieu thereof to the effect that the definition of able-bodied man be struck out of the Bill.

§ VISCOUNT CECIL OF CHELWOOD:
My Lords, I now move that the words from line 22 to line 26 on page 11 be omitted from the Bill, namely:—
The expression "able-bodied man" means any male worker who is not incapable by reason of physical injury or mental deficiency, or any infirmity due to age or to any other cause, of performing the work of a normally efficient worker;

§ LORD PARMOOR:
My Lords, I was aware that this suggestion might be made by the noble Viscount. If I spoke my own mind it agrees with the noble Viscount to a great extent, but I have been told by those who represent the Government in the Ministry of Agriculture that I could accept this suggestion if your Lordships generally were in favour of that solution of the matter.