NATIONAL INSURANCE (INDUS- TRIAL INJURIES) (COLLIERY WORKERS SUPPLEMENTARY SCHEME) ORDER, 1948. (Hansard, 29 July 1948)

§ LORD CHORLEY

My Lords, I beg to move that the Special Order as reported from the Special Orders Committee on Tuesday the 13th instant be approved. Your Lordships will remember that we had some debate on this scheme about a fortnight ago, and at the request of certain noble Lords, the discussion was adjourned in order that we might know 1325 what happened in another place. As your Lordships will no doubt be aware, this scheme was discussed in another place the day before yesterday and, after some debate, was approved. We have already referred to the main proposals of the scheme and have had some discussion on them, and unless there are further questions which arise, I need not take up your Lordships' time.

§ THE EARL OF MUNSTER

My Lords, I rise only to make a brief observation on the Order which the noble Lord has, for the second time, moved. It is true that on the previous occasion, on the request of my noble friend Viscount Swinton, he was good enough to withdraw it. I informed him then, as I inform him again, that it is not our intention to oppose the scheme in any way. I was hoping that in his preliminary remarks the noble Lord who speaks for the Government might have been in a position to give your Lordships some indication of what the Government intend to do in the case of disability pensions. As he is probably aware, that matter is coming up again for discussion in another place this afternoon. But as the noble Lord has not been able, or has not seen fit, to give the House any indication of the Government's proposals for dealing with this matter, I would tell him that when we return again in September, it is our intention to put down a Motion in order that this matter may be fully discussed. I hope that then, at any rate, the noble Lord will be in a position, if he should reply for the Government, to give us some indication of the Government's view on this very important point.