Orders of the Day — National Insurance (Industrial Injuries) Bill

Part of the debate – in the House of Commons at 12:00 am on 19 February 1946.

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Photo of Sir Frank Soskice Sir Frank Soskice , Birkenhead East 12:00, 19 February 1946

Because before anybody is called as a witness you want some sort of proof of what he is going to say. You want to know who are the relevant witnesses. When the inspector goes on the premises he may see five people and say, "Who can tell me something about this accident?" The workman may have been stunned, or may be ill, or have lost his memory and he cannot tell how the accident occurred. The inspector can at least ask who is in a position to go before the insurance officer and say how the accident happened. The question whether the workman succeeds or not may depend entirely upon the endeavours of the inspector. It is for the protection of the workman in the same way as it is for the protection of the State.