§ BARONESS MASHAM OF ILTONMy Lords, I beg leave to ask the first Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.
§ The Question was as follows:
§ To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will provide generous compensation to doctors and nurses for injury to health on duty in the N.H.S. or in independent hospitals under contract to the N.H.S.
§ THE MINISTER OF STATE, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND SOCIAL SECURITY (LORD ABERDARE)My Lords, my right honourable friend the Secretary of State for Social Services is expecting to receive shortly a report by the joint Superannuation Consultative Committee making recommendations for a new and improved injury benefits scheme covering all National Health Service staff who are permanently incapacitated by injury sustained or disease contracted in the course of duty. Additionally and separately he is considering a claim for improvements in the benefits payable to junior hospital doctors. Arrangements for compensation for staff of independent hospitals are for their employers to determine.
§ BARONESS MASHAM OF ILTONMy Lords, while thanking the Minister for his Answer may I ask whether he does not think that there should be special coverage for, in particular, junior staff (doctors and nurses) going out on to the motorways? I am referring to the flying squads who go out on to the motorways to attend accidents, and at the moment if negligence cannot be proved they do not receive any insurance benefit. Also, can the Minister tell me whether those who work in renal dialysis units and who die as a result of their work are fully covered, and whether their dependants get full insurance benefit?
§ LORD ABERDAREMy Lords, on the first supplementary question put to me by the noble Baroness, we are now considering the special claim for improvements in benefits payable to junior hospital doctors for the specific reason that, as the noble Baroness appreciates, their earnings are relatively low early in their lives and they can expect considerably better remuneration later. This is a special case and we are looking into it. With regard to serum hepatitis, they would be covered in the normal way under the superannuation scheme, and they will also be covered by the next Question.
§ BARONESS MASHAM OF ILTONMy Lords, does the noble Lord appreciate that this really is a very urgent matter and that the junior doctors have been waiting for about three years for an answer? Can he say when this answer will come?
§ LORD ABERDAREMy Lords, I appreciate the urgency of this matter. It is unfortunately a very difficult question because it involves all sorts of other categories of staff.
§ VISCOUNT MASSEREENE AND FERRARDMy Lords, may I ask whether staff working in mental hospitals, particularly those who are liable to be in contact with patients who might be violent, are entitled to generous Government compensation in the event of their suffering injury?
§ LORD ABERDAREYes, my Lords; if they suffered injury while at work they would be covered.
§ BARONESS SUMMERSKILLMy Lords, I welcome the noble Lord's 1187 statement, but can he tell us when we may expect a report on the first part of his Answer, which is very important?
§ LORD ABERDAREMy Lords, it has been agreed in principle by the Joint Superannuation Consultative Committee and it has also been agreed that the new arrangements will be applied retrospectively to May 25 of last year.
LORD INGLEWOODMy Lords, may I ask my noble friend, whatever the outcome of this Question and the next Question may be, whether he will at least ensure that the traditional historic ex-Serviceman's preference will not be entirely whittled away.
§ LORD ABERDAREMy Lords, I think this is a very different question, but I can give the assurance that the ex-Serviceman's preference in the scheme as a whole will certainly not be whittled away.