Mr. B. Taylorasked the Home Secretary on whose advice Dr. F. S. Airey, of Leicester, was appointed medical referee for Nottinghamshire; and is he aware that there is a decided objection by the Nottinghamshire miners attending Leicester?
§ Mr. H. MorrisonFollowing a decision to appoint a specialist medical referee for cases of dermatitis arising in this area, efforts were made, in consultation with the county court judge, to obtain the services of a suitable dermatologist in Nottingham, but without success. The vacancy was then advertised. Dr. Airey was the only applicant, and on the recommendation of my medical advisers he was appointed. I appreciate that a medical referee at Nottingham would be more convenient for the Nottinghamshire miners, but there does not appear to be a suitable dermatologist there who would be willing to accept the appointment at the present time.
Mr. Taylorasked the Home Secretary how many appeals have been made by the employers in the Nottinghamshire 484W coalfields against the certifying surgeon's certificates; and in how many cases have the workmen been successful?
§ Mr. MorrisonThe total number of cases in all employments referred to medical referees from county courts in Nottinghamshire, on appeal by the employer under Section 43 (1) (f) of the Workmen's Compensation Act, in 1940 was 48, 25 of which were decided in favour of the workman; and in the first nine months of 1941, 50, in 25 of which the workman succeeded. Our records do not show how many of these cases concerned employers in the coal mining industry.