HC Deb 22 July 1937 vol 326 c2414W
Mr. Lees-Jones

asked the Under-Secretary of State for Air whether, in view of the fact that no compensation is payable to the estate of a deceased airman who is killed in the course of his ordinary duties although his death is caused by the negligence of another airman, he will state why there is a difference between a serving airman who is killed by the negligence of a fellow airman, in the course of his ordinary duties, and an ordinary civilian who is killed in the course of his employment through the negligence of another servant?

Lieut.-Colonel Muirhead

Although, as my hon. Friend states, no compensation is payable to the estate of a deceased airman who is killed in the course of his ordinary duties, pensions and allowances are payable under the conditions laid down in King's Regulations and Air Council Instructions to dependants, if any. These provisions may be regarded as taking the place of those which would be applicable for dependants under the Workmen's Compensation Act in the case of civilians who come under that Act. In the limited class of case covered by the Employers' Liability Act, 1880, certain compensation may be payable to the estate of a deceased civilian without dependants. There is no such provision in the Regulations. On the other hand the Regulations are not, in the case of non-manual workers, restricted as is the Workmen's Compensation Act by an income limit.