§ 130. Sir J. Lucasasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty why Mr. W. Hume, 28 Halstead Road, Cosham. Portsmouth, who was injured on board H.M.S. "Relentless" in Portsmouth Dockyard on 13th December, 1951, when 181W falling through a gap in an unlighted catwalk and was severely injured, is receiving no compensation, especially as he is still assessed as 40 per cent. disabled; and whether he will look at the case again with a view to remedying this injustice.
§ Mr. Wingfield DigbyAs my hon. Friend is aware from correspondence which has passed between us, it has not been possible to establish that Mr. Hume's present disablement is due to the accident which took place five years ago; this is because of Mr. Hume's failure to represent his case for nearly three years. For the same reason, it has been extremely difficult to arive at the true facts of the accident itself, though enough is known to show that the catwalk was not unlighted at the time. I am afraid that it is no longer possible at this distance of time to consider any question of compensation.