§ Mr. Dribergasked the Minister of Pensions whether he will circulate in the OFFICIAL REPORT the list of diseases held by the current consensus of medical opinion to be neither caused nor aggravated by military service?
§ Sir W. WomersleyThe hon. Member will appreciate that it is impossible to extract from all the diseases known to medical science a complete list of those in the causation or worsening of which war service would be unlikely to play any part. There are, however, certain diseases or groups of diseases the onset or development of which would normally be unaffected by service, and I append a list of examples of the more common of these. It should not be assumed, however, that every case in which the disability is due to one of these diseases is necessarily rejected.
Following is the list:
- 1. Malignant diseases with certain well recognised exceptions;
- 2. Certain diseases of the glands, for example, lymphadenoma;
- 3. Certain diseases of the nervous system of developmental origin, for example, syringomyelia;
- 4. Certain diseases of the blood and blood forming organs, such as leukaemia;
- 5. Progressive visual changes due to errors of refraction.
- 6. Venereal diseases.
§ Sir I. Fraserasked the Minister of Pensions what allowances will be paid to an officer who is seriously disabled and unemployable on account of his pensionable disablement?
§ Sir W. WomersleyIn the cases referred to the disability retired pay will be supplemented by £26 a year and the allowances payable for a wife and children will be at the normal rates of £36 a year for a wife, £30 for the first child, and £24 for the second and each other child. In addition, such of the officers as are in receipt of retired pay appropriate to the highest degree of disablement and are in need of constant attendance in consequence of their pensionable disabilities, will be eligible for an allowance on that account up to £100 a year.
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§ Sir I. Fraserasked the Minister of Pensions when the regulations with regard to the supplementation of pensions of seriously disabled pensioners who are unemployable will be published?
§ Sir W. WomersleyProvision for the supplementation of the pensions of seriously disabled pensioners who are unemployable by reason of their pensionable disablement will be included in the new Royal Warrant which is in course of preparation. After full consideration I have come to the conclusion that this is not a matter in which it would be appropriate to lay regulations, but I shall be glad to take a convenient opportunity of explaining to the House how the Warrant provision is to be administered.
§ Sir I. Fraserasked the Minister of Pensions when the new Royal Warrant for War Pensions will be published?
§ Sir W. WomersleyMy hon. and gallant Friend will appreciate that the new provisions announced in the White Paper will cause a considerable amount of additional work for my Department, and I cannot give a date for the publication of the new Royal Warrant. It is, however, in preparation and in the meantime the new provisions will be applied.
§ Mr. Hammersleyasked the Minister of Pensions whether he will indicate the procedure to be adopted where claimants for pensions have had their claims rejected because their disabilities, now within the scope of the Royal Warrant, have hitherto been excluded?
§ Sir W. WomersleyAny person who is dissatisfied with the decision of my Ministry and who feels that his claim would succeed under the new conditions of entitlement should apply to the Ministry for his case to be reconsidered.
§ Rear-Admiral Beamishasked the Minister of Pensions the total number of men and widows concerned with the last war whose cases have been before appeal tribunals; and what proportion of these appeals have succeeded?
§ Sir W. WomersleyThere were approximately 197,000 appeals to the pensions appeal tribunal on entitlement issues, of which some 58,000, or 29 per cent., were successful. The exact number of persons concerned cannot be stated as in a very few disablement cases there would have 1811W been more than one appeal. Assessement appeals numbered 142,700, of which 41,670, or 29 per cent., were successful.
§ Rear-Admiral Beamishasked the Minister of Pensions the number of men and widows now drawing pensions in respect of the last war, dividing the former into varying percentages of disability and giving, as far as he can, the number who are known to be unemployed for disability reasons and for other reasons, respectively?
§ Sir W. WomersleyThe number of pensioners drawing disability pensions in respect of the last war on the 31st March last was as follows:
The estimated number of widows drawing pensions on that date was 115,960. As regards the number of disabled men of the last war who are known to be unemployed I am afraid that I cannot add to the reply which I gave to my hon. and gallant Friend, the Member for Lonsdale (Sir I. Fraser) on 1st April last.
Per cent. 100 … 23,330 90 … 2,630 80 … 12,630 70 … 19,820 60 … 30,930 50 … 47,700 40 … 47,750 30 … 76,170 20 … 114,370 Service-cum-disability pensions … 10,710 Total … 386,040
§ Sir L. Lyleasked the Minister of Pensions what arrangements are being made to secure the payment of pension in Eire in connection with those British subjects in Eire who have joined the British Army and who have suffered in the war?
§ Sir W. WomersleyBritish subjects in Eire who have served in the British Army and have suffered disablement in consequence of their service are eligible for compensation under the provisions of the Royal Warrant. Payment of pension is made through the Eire Post Office and the Ministry has a regional office in Eire to which such persons may apply for information.
Miss Wardasked the Minister of Pensions whether, on further medical examination, it has been possible to increase the pension of Mr. Davison, of I, Glebe Crescent. Forest Hall?
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§ Sir W. WomersleyThe answer is in the affirmative. I am, however, making further inquiries regarding the treatment aspect and will communicate with the hon. Member as soon as my inquiries are completed.