ment or as to whether or to what extent his incapacity is due to the accident-(Section 19). (d) deciding appeals against the decision of a certifying or other surgeon in giving or refusing to give a certificate of disablement etc., on account of industrial disease— (Section 43 (1) (f)). (e) reporting as to the condition of a workman for the assistance of the Registrar in considering the registration of a memorandum of a lump sum agreement—(Section 23 (3)).* giving a certificate as to the permanent nature of the incapacity of a workman who desires to go abroad -(Section 16). The following table shows the extent to which the services of the Medical Referees were employed in each of the years 1922 to 1926:— * This provision was enacted for the first time in the Act of 1923. The figures for 1926 show a further large increase in the references to medical referees under Section 19. The increase in the last three years must be attributed to the new procedure introduced by the Act of 1923 (Sections 11 (1) and 14) under which, in the event of a conflict of opinion between the employer's and workman's doctors as to the workman's condition, power is given to the Registrar, or on appeal the Judge, to refer the case to the Medical Referee not only on the joint application but also on the application of one only of the parties. Statistics furnished by the Registrar of Friendly Societies show that on 31st December, 1926, there were 17 certified schemes under Section 3 of the Act of 1906 in operation in Great Britain, including the certified scheme for Government workmen. These schemes covered 148,337 workmen, and the total amount of compensation paid under the schemes during the year was £141,036. Further information in regard to the statistics will be found in the introductions to previous volumes. I am, Sir, Your obedient Servant, Home Office, November, 1927. R. R. BANNATYNE. |