Oral Answers to Questions — Pensions and National Insurance – in the House of Commons at 12:00 am on 29 June 1964.
Mr Leslie Lever
, Manchester Ardwick
12:00,
29 June 1964
asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance whether he will give the terms of reference of the Committee on Assessments which he announced recently.
Hon. Richard Wood
, Bridlington
As the terms contain detailed references to the existing provisions, I will, with permission, circulate them in the OFFICIAL REPORT. I explained the effect of these terms of reference in answer to Questions on 22nd June.
Mr Leslie Lever
, Manchester Ardwick
How long will it be before the Committee is constituted and gets down to the urgent work on behalf of limbless ex-Service men?
Hon. Richard Wood
, Bridlington
I am sorry that I cannot give the hon. Gentleman a specific time. I shall certainly get on with the composition of this Committee as quickly as possible and I hope that thereafter the Committee will be able to start work without delay.
Dr Horace King
, Southampton, Itchen
Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that limbless ex-Service men in particular welcome his initiative in this new scientific approach to the measurement of disablement? Will he consider including on this expert Com mittee one limbless ex-Service man, who could contribute to the work of the scientific investigators his own life's experience of disability?
Hon. Richard Wood
, Bridlington
I appreciate the force of the hon. Gentleman's suggestion, but it is not only limbless ex-Service men who understand these problems.
Terms of ReferenceTo examine Schedule 1 and Schedule 3, Table 1, to the Royal Warrant of 24th May, 1949 (Cmnd. 7699) and Schedule 2 to the National Insurance (Industrial Injuries) (Benefit) Regulations 1964 (S.I. 1964 No. 504) which relate to the assessment of certain disablements, andand to report.
- (i) to consider, in the light of any relevant developments since 1948, whether any, and if so what, modification in the lists of specified disablements, or variation in the assessments of such disablements is desirable; and
- (ii) to consider whether there is any case for special provision by way of supplementary compensation confined to disablement due to amputation, either generally or in relation to advancing age;
Ministers make up the Government and almost all are members of the House of Lords or the House of Commons. There are three main types of Minister. Departmental Ministers are in charge of Government Departments. The Government is divided into different Departments which have responsibilities for different areas. For example the Treasury is in charge of Government spending. Departmental Ministers in the Cabinet are generally called 'Secretary of State' but some have special titles such as Chancellor of the Exchequer. Ministers of State and Junior Ministers assist the ministers in charge of the department. They normally have responsibility for a particular area within the department and are sometimes given a title that reflects this - for example Minister of Transport.
