Memorandum on the Beveridge Report
1943-02 1943 1940s 28 pages The new methods of assessing disability by special tribunals, as is proposed by the report, should end this state of affairs. The question of whether a worker whose compensation has been fixed should be allowed to "commute" this for a lump sum is a more...
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| Institution: | MCR - The Modern Records Centre, University of Warwick |
| Language: | English English |
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London : Communist Party of Great Britain
February 1943
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| Online Access: | http://hdl.handle.net/10796/0CF9C65F-98D7-47A5-94A5-B5A2A66CDCC3 http://hdl.handle.net/10796/BD43185A-D1AD-4206-A076-33FDF9AD12E3 |
| Summary: | 1943-02
1943
1940s
28 pages
The new methods of assessing disability by special tribunals, as is proposed by the report, should end this state of affairs. The question of whether a worker whose compensation has been fixed should be allowed to "commute" this for a lump sum is a more difficult question. The danger of some workers sinking their money in small business ventures which do not prosper and then being thrown back on public assistance is only too obvious. On the other hand, a young worker might on the basis of a lump sum payment be able to embark on a new way of life which would be self-supporting. We suggest that when the tribunal has fixed a workmen's compensation benefit he shall be allowed to appeal subsequently to it for the "commutation" of the weekly payments by a lump sum, and that the tribunal be empowered to grant this if in its opinion the worker has a practical proposition for employing this sum in a manner that will render him self-supporting. We note that the Report still leaves it open for the worker to claim damages at Common Law, when his employer has been guilty of a breach of statutory duty (i.e. failure to fence a machine) and we are of opinion that this is a deterrent to careless employers which ought to remain. SETTLEMENT OF WORKMEN'S COMPENSATION DISPUTES Disputes are bound to arise, e.g. as to whether the accident was an industrial accident or not, as to whether incapacity is continuing, etc. Beveridge does not deal with how this is to be decided except to say that such questions should be taken away from litigation in the courts. The Trades Union Congress in their evidence before the Royal Commission on Workmen's Compensation suggested that all disputed questions should be referred to a Workmen's Compensation Board. The Board would be a body corporate consisting of a Chairman and six other members. All members of the Board to 19
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| Physical Description: | TEXT |