HC Deb 26 October 1920 vol 133 cc1578-9W
Mr. WILKIE

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty if he is aware that Arthur W. Paxton, a driller employed in His Majesty's Dockyard, Portsmouth, and sent to work temporarily on board His Majesty's Ship "Royal Oak," at Rosyth, was on the 18th March, 1919, injured by being struck in the left eye by a piece of a rivet, whereby the sight was permanently affected; that he was paid in respect of such injury a sum of £7 13s. 7d., such amount being calculated under the injuries in war compensation scheme from the 18th March, 1919, to 29th April, 1919, at the rate of £1 5s. per week, instead of which Paxton should have been placed on the hurt list under the provisions of the scheme of compensation (No. 133) in case of injury to workmen in Government establishments, and under such scheme received hurt pay at the rate of half his average weekly earnings during the 12 months preceding the date of the injury; that application was made on the 3rd June last to the Parliamentary Secretary of the Admiralty for payment of hurt pay under the Government scheme of compensation (No. 133), and that up to the present no definite reply to that request has been received notwithstanding numerous further requests that the matter shall be dealt with; that the extraordinary delay in dealing with this and other similar claims in His Majesty's dockyards is causing great dissatisfaction amongst the men employed in these establishments; and if he will give immediate instructions that this and other claims which are pending shall be dealt with without further delay?

Sir J. CRAIG

As stated by the hon. Member, Arthur W. Paxton was injured while employed on board H.M.S. "Royal Oak," and compensation has already been paid under the Injuries in War (Compensation) Scheme, which is applicable to civilians employed afloat by the Admiralty in connection with warlike operations. There was no undue delay in settling the case on this basis, and the position was fully explained to the man. The application for payment of hurt pay under the Scheme of Compensation No. 133, raises a legal question which is at present under the consideration of the legal advisors of the Crown, and it is hoped that it will be possible to arrive at a decision on the point at issue at an early date. As regards the last part of the question, steps have recently been taken which, it is hoped, will obviate any undue delay in future in settling ordinary claims to compensation for injury.