HC Deb 22 November 1968 vol 773 cc348-9W
Mr. Oakes

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what savings or benefits he estimates will be made by the dropping of the paired organ principle.

Mr. Pentland

It is too early yet to evaluate the financial or other effects of the Industrial Injuries (Benefit) Amendment (No. 2) Regulations, 1968, which only came into operation on 17th July, 1968. These Regulations also extended the provisions to enable interaction between an industrial injury and any disability arising from post-accident non-industrially caused conditions to be taken into account in the assessment of disablement and transitional arrangements still cover certain claimants receiving benefit by virtue of the superseded paired organs provisions.

Mr. Oakes

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what consultations took place, and with what bodies, about the paired organ principle before the Greater Disability Regulations were introduced.

Mr. Pentland

The draft of the National Insurance (Industrial Injuries) (Benefit) Amendment (No. 2) Regulations, 1968, was considered and approved by the Industrial Injuries Advisory Council, whose membership includes, with others, representatives of insured persons and employers.

Mr. Oakes

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he intends to publish a booklet to explain how the Greater Disability Regulations will operate in order to assist claimants.

Mr. Pentland

The amended regulations, apart from the limited field of paired organs, make no change in the long standing general provisions regarding the extent to which disablement due to pre-accident conditions may be taken into account in the assessment of disablement. These provisions are now extended to cover post accident conditions suffered by the more seriously industrially injured. The existing general leaflet is being suitably revised and arrangements are being made for the extended provision to be brought to the notice of existing pensioners and to new claimants. The staff of the local offices of my Department are always ready to advise and help claimants on this or any other aspects of the Industrial Injuries scheme.