§ Mr. MARDY JONESasked the Home Secretary whether his attention has been drawn to the hardships inflicted upon the victims of silicosis and their dependants who contracted this industrial disease prior to 1st January, 1929, due to the following conditions laid down in the Various Industries (Silicosis) Scheme, 1928; that no compensation is payable 1605W to any workman who contracted silicosis prior to 1st January, 1929; nor where the silica rock worked upon contains less than 50 per cent. free silica; and will he undertake to antedate the operation of the order by a year or two at least and at the same time effect a substantial reduction below the present 50 per cent. of free silica in the rocks worked?
§ Mr. CLYNESThe only persons not covered by the scheme are those who had ceased to be employed in the industries before 1st January, 1929, and while I fully appreciate the hardship which may arise in such cases, I am advised that I should have no power under the Act to give the Scheme any such retrospective application as my hon. Friend suggests. As regards the 50 per cent. limit, I would refer him to the reply I gave to a similar question on 18th November last by the hon. Member for Carmarthen (Mr. Hopkin). No cases of hardship caused by this limitation have been brought to my notice, but if my hon. Friend has any evidence to the contrary I shall be glad to consider it.
§ Mr. MARDY JONESasked the Home Secretary how many miners have been granted compensation under the Workmen's Compensation Acts due to silicosis, in pursuance of the Various Industries (Silicosis) Scheme, 1928, for the year 1929, or for as many quarters of that year as the data are available, showing the total of cases for each coalfield, separately?
§ Mr. CLYNESI regret that no figures are available at present. Returns under this scheme are collected as part of the general returns under the Workmen's Compensation Act, and as the Regulations under that Act provide only for annual returns which are not due until 1st March, and as the tabulation necessarily occupies a considerable time, I am afraid it will be several months yet before I am in a position to furnish any reliable figures for 1929.