§ Mr. Goldingasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what would be the cost of paying 80 per cent. of earnings to those who were unable to work because of incapacities arising from industrial injuries or diseases.
§ Mr. DeanIf injury benefit had been paid at 80 per cent. of the average earnings at April 1972 for manual workers in the beneficiary's industry and of the beneficiary's sex the cost of injury benefit in 1972–73 would have been approximately £80 million compared with an actual expenditure, including earnings-related supplement, of about £42 million. A similar comparison cannot be made in respect of benefits paid for days of incapacity after the end of the injury benefit period.