§ MR. PIKE PEASE (Darlington)To ask the Secretary of State for War whether any representations have been made on behalf of the Governments of the self-governing Colonies for commuting the pensions of ex-soldiers under the age of fifty desiring to settle in British Colonies; the nature of these representations; and his Answers thereto.
(Answered by Mr. Secretary Haldane.) Representations have been made on behalf of the Government of Australia suggesting that Army pensioners should be allowed to commute the whole of their pensions at the age of 50, or that partial commutation should be so arranged that the pension should revive at sixty. The Array Council were unable to entertain either proposal; but they are considering the desirability of allowing Army pensioners in receipt of more than 1s. a day to commute the excess over 1s. at an earlier age than fifty. As explained to the hon. Member for Hastings on 26th October, I am not yet in a position to make any statement on this point.