asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will consider discontinuing the present archaic system of summoning people who are in receipt of disability benefit to appear before a departmental referee when the person concerned is, in fact, the holder of a certificate which clearly sets out his or her illness and incapacity to work.

In the administration of disability benefit, medical control is necessary to ensure that only genuinely sick persons are paid benefit. This control is exercised through medical referees to whom claimants are from time to time referred for examination for the purpose of obtaining independent second medical opinions as to incapacity for work. The claimant's medical certifier in all cases is notified of the date and place of the proposed examination and invited to attend if he so desires. He is also requested to furnish particulars of the claimant's medical history and present condition, and to say whether the claimant is in a fit state of health to attend.

The medical referee system was introduced after consultation with representatives of the medical profession and it is not proposed to discontinue it.

Is the Minister aware that public representatives, myself included for some time have been expressing grave concern at some of the decisions of medical referees? People who have been unfit to work because of serious illness have been certified as fit for work by medical referees. Would the Minister agree to pay the expense of having a person's own doctor attending such examinations?

The claimant's own doctor is invited to attend.

I did not ask that question. I asked if his expenses would be paid.

I do not think so.

I have written to the Department expressing grave concern on behalf of a person who was not fit to walk in for examination but who was certified as being fit for work.

There is a great deal of complaint to the opposite effect as well.

That is my point. Because some people are able to get away with it, deserving applicants are made to suffer.

I do not know of a better system.