§ Mr. TYSON WILSONasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he is aware that Dr. Young, of Merton Road, Bootle, Liverpool, who is the certifying surgeon for the district under the Factory Act and Workmen's Compensation Act, was applied to by a workman named M'Manus, who is suffering from lead poisoning, for a certificate of disablement, and that, although M'Manus paid him a fee, he did not examine him, but instructed him to go to a Dr. Knox, of Stoneycroft, Liverpool, and that Dr. Knox certified that he was not suffering from lead poisoning, and signed the certificate as deputy certifying surgeon; whether, seeing that Dr. Knox had three weeks previously examined M'Manus on behalf of the insurance company that his employer is insured with, he will make inquiries into this case with the object of giving this man a chance of being examined by a surgeon who is not prejudiced; and whether he will take steps to prevent surgeons who are acting for insurance companies from acting as certifying or deputy certifying surgeons in cases where the company they are acting for are interested?
§ Mr. CHURCHILLThe facts are not quite correctly stated in the question. Dr. Young, the certifying surgeon for the district, is abroad, and during his absence his duties are being discharged by Dr. Knox, his duly appointed deputy. The Dr. Young to whom M'Manus went is not the certifying surgeon. He quite properly 2753W referred M'Manus to Dr. Knox, and he received no fee from M'Manus. It is the case that Dr. Knox had previously examined M'Manus at the request of the Federated Employers' Association, but he informs me that he has no connection with the association, and that this was the first case on which he had ever reported to them. On M'Manus applying to him for a certificate he wished to refer him to another doctor, but the Compensation Act requires the certificate to be given by the certifying surgeon for the district, and Dr. Knox could not therefore refuse to act. I have no power to authorise the workman to apply to any other surgeon, but I may point out that he has the right of appeal, without charge, to the medical referee.