§ 104. Mr. Haleasked the Minister of National Insurance whether, in view of the expense, difficulty and disappointment incurred by applicants for industrial injury benefits in respect of chronic industrial disease by constant decisions that, although they are totally incapacitated by chronic disease, it is not of the type specified in the Act, he will consider taking steps to make industrial injury benefit payable to all sufferers totally incapacitated by chronic disease.
§ Mr. PeakeNo. I am not prepared to consider a proposal which departs so completely from the generally accepted principle that the higher industrial injury benefits are only payable for industrial accidents and diseases.
§ 105. Mr. Haleasked the Minister of National Insurance what would be the 62W estimated saving in administrative costs and in the costs of medical tribunals and boards by the introduction of provisions for the payment of industrial injury benefit to all persons totally incapacitated by chronic disease.
§ Mr. PeakeIt is open to question whether the adoption of the hon. Member's suggestion would lead to any saving in administrative costs. In any case there is no information on which an estimate could be based.