Dr. Morganasked the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies whether any observation is being kept on the working of the Workmen's Compensation Act as it affects Colonial workers of different crafts or grades now in Britain; whether his Department has any record or statistics appertaining to such cases, with notes of the injury or disease, the nature of the accident, the success or failure of claims for workmen's compensation and the duration of incapacity; whether such information in individual cases is forwarded to the Colony from which the worker came; and whether the Colonial Office Welfare Department regards such cases as part of its supervisory work?
§ Mr. Harold MacmillanThe Ministry of Labour and National Service, which is the Department directly concerned with the employment of Colonial workers now in Britain, keep careful watch on all aspects of the working of the Workmen's Compensation Act, and it is unnecessary for this Department to set up special machinery for this purpose. Very elaborate machinery would be necessary to keep records and statistics of all cases where Colonial persons are employed in industry, and if set up it would be unlikely to be really effective. My hon. Friend is no doubt aware that many Colonial persons who are in employment in this country have been resident here for some years and enter employment without any reference to the Colonial Office, and they might rightly resent any interference from this office. In the case of Colonial workers brought to this country specially for war work, the employing Departments keep full records which are available to the Colonial Office when required. For the Colonial Office itself to maintain separate records of these 2169W persons would therefore entail an unnecessary duplication of work. Information about individual cases is only forwarded to the Colonies when special necessity arises such as in the case of death or serious injury.
Dr. Morganasked the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he is aware that many Colonial workers, now employed in this country on national work, find themselves in difficulties when injured at work from lack of knowledge of Workmen's Compensation legislation; whether steps are taken to encourage such men to join appropriate trade unions as soon as possible; whether, in the case of those without trade union membership, the Welfare Department of the Colonial Office helps with legal and other advice; whether any officer with up-to-date knowledge of Workmen's Compensation is attached to the Welfare Department; and, if not, will such an appointment be considered?
§ Mr. MacmillanI am aware that there are occasionally cases where Colonial workers find themselves in difficulties when injured at work from lack of knowledge of Workmen's Compensation legislation, but I have no evidence that these cases are numerous. Colonial workers specially brought over to this country for war work, such as the Jamaican technicians on Merseyside, are encouraged to join appropriate trade unions if they wish to do so. The Welfare Department of the Colonial Office co-operates with the welfare officers of the Ministry of Labour and National Service in affording assistance and advice to Colonial workers, and would put them in touch with legal advice if necessity arises. In these matters the Colonial Office must necessarily rely on the advice of the officers of the Ministry of Labour with whom it is in constant contact, and I do not consider that it is necessary to make a special appointment on the Colonial Office staff for these purposes.