§ MR. HANBURY (Preston)I beg to ask the Secretary of State for War if he can state generally what are the conditions laid down by the War Office as to special pensions to veterans of the Crimean War and Indian Mutiny; what were the means employed to bring the fact of such special pensions being offered, and the conditions attached to the offer, under the notice of those likely to benefit by them; and if he can state what information the War Office possesses as to the number of similar veterans who are in receipt of an ordinary pension, and whose pension is wholly or partly appropriated by the Guardians towards their maintenance in workhouses?
§ THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR WAR (Mr. CAMPBELL-BANNERMAN,) Stirling, &c.The conditions required for the grant of a pension, up to the number of 100 a year, are that the applicant should have had 10 years' service, and should have a medal for a campaign before 1860, that he should be destitute, and that the pension would not be wholly claimed by Guardians for maintenance. In selecting men for the limited number at present available preference is given to those discharged with good character. It was not thought necessary to advertise these grants; but the conditions were given to every person applying for them. There is no information as to the number of "similar veterans" on pension who are in workhouses; but in 1888 it was ascertained that out of 63,000 pensioners only 616 793 were in workhouses in Great Britain, and the "similar veterans" would probably constitute a much smaller number.