§ MR. H. H. MARKSTo ask the Secretary of State for War whether private soldiers enlisted on or before 1st September, 1864, and discharged by reduction of establishment or invalided, having, by uninterrupted possession of good conduct pay with one or more good conduct badges for six months immediately preceding discharge, become entitled to full rate of good conduct pay added to pension, whether temporary or permanent, to which they were otherwise entitled on attaining fifty years of age, are paid the pension in full from the date of their attaining fifty years of age, notwithstanding any delay that may have occurred in the making of official application for it.
(Answered by Mr. Secretary Haldane.) The hon. Member is alluding to awards of deferred pension on reaching the age of fifty years after fulfilling the conditions stated in the Question. A soldier is directed in his small book to apply to the Commissioners of Chelsea Hospital when he becomes eligible for the award. If he neglects to make this application at the proper time he is only eligible to recover arrears thereof up to a maximum of three years.