§ Mr. William Edwardsasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will introduce legislation to enable a widow of a deceased person who was receiving industrial injury benefit in respect of pneumoconiosis and silicosis to receive a pension without the need to conduct a post-mortem examination of the deceased.
§ Mr. DeanIn England and Wales the death of any person who in life had been in receipt of industrial injuries benefit for pneumoconiosis is almost invariably reported to a coroner because coroners have a duty to investigate any death which there is reasonable cause to suspect may have an unnatural cause. The decision whether or not to order a postmortem examination as an aid to this investigation is entirely a matter for the coroner's discretion.
As regards industrial death benefit I would draw the hon. Member's attention to the provision in the National Insurance Bill which will enable industrial widow's pension to be paid irrespective of any determination of the cause of death in certain cases where the deceased had been entitled to constant attendance allowance.