§ Sir A. Wilsonasked the Home Secretary whether he can give any estimate of the number of employed persons who are covered by the Workmen's Compensation Acts but not by the National Health Insurance Acts?
§ Sir S. HoareThe number of employed persons who are covered by the Workmen's Compensation Acts but are not compulsorily insured under the National Health Insurance Acts cannot be precisely estimated but is thought to be approximately 900,000. Probably some 250,000 of this total are voluntary contributors, leaving about 650,000 not covered by National Health Insurance. Of this latter number very roughly 300,000 would be non-manual workers earning between £250 and £350 a year and the remainder would be employed persons earning under £250 a year who are excepted from National Health Insurance owing to the terms of their employment.
§ Sir A. Wilsonasked the Home Secretary whether his attention has been drawn to the evidence recently given to the Royal Commission on Workmen's Compensation, Clauses 554 and 555, as to need for legislation on the lines of the Departmental Committee's Report on Coroners in connection with claims for compensation for industrial diseases; and whether it is intended to give legislative effect to the recommendations of this committee?
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§ Sir S. HoareI am aware that legislation is needed to give effect to the Committee's recommendations on this subject, but I regret I am not in a position to promise legislation this Session.