Section 156 Accidents in course of illegal employment
Where under this Act—
a claim is made for industrial injuries benefit in respect of an accident, or of a prescribed disease or injury; or
an application is made under section 107 for a declaration that an accident was an industrial accident, or for a corresponding declaration as to a prescribed disease or injury,
subsection (2) below has effect.
The Secretary of State may direct that for the purposes of this Act the relevant employment shall, in relation to that accident, disease or injury, be treated as having been employed earner's employment notwithstanding that by reason of a contravention of, or non-compliance with, some provision contained in or having effect under an enactment passed for the protection of employed persons or any class of employed persons, either—
the contract purporting to govern the employment was void; or
the employed person was not lawfully employed in the relevant employment at the time when, or in the place where, the accident happened or the disease or injury was contracted or received.
In subsection (2) above, " relevant employment" means—
in relation to an accident, the employment out of and in the course of which the accident arises; and
in relation to a prescribed disease or injury, the employment to the nature of which the disease or injury is due.