§ 26. Mr. BARNESasked the Secretary to the Admiralty if the scale of pensions and allowances, as laid down in White Paper on 9th November, is now the scale on which payment is being made; and, if not, at what date will the authorities begin to pay?
§ Dr. MACNAMARAPending the Report of the Select Committee which has been appointed to consider the subject, widows pensions and children's allowances and disablement pensions are being paid on the scales in force at the outbreak of war. Separation allowances are being paid according to the scales laid down in the White Paper.
§ Mr. BARNESWhen the Committee has finished its labours, will those people now paid the semi-starvation wage of 5s. a week pension be given the difference?
§ Dr. MACNAMARAIt is not for me to anticipate what the Committee may decide, but certainly if the Committee recommend a higher scale, then cases that have arisen since the War would need adjustment.
§ Mr. BARNESDoes it depend upon the Committee recommending that the higher rate should be made retrospective?
§ Dr. MACNAMARANot in regard to the cases of widows and orphans before the War, but certainly with regard to cases that have arisen since the War.
Mr. MacCALLUM SCOTTIs it not the case that in the first six months of the death of a soldier the person receiving the pension will receive a full sum, including separation allowance?
§ Dr. MACNAMARAThat is quite true. Separation allowance will be continued, but my hon. Friend has in mind cases prior to that.
§ 56. Sir WILLIAM PRIESTLEYasked the Prime Minister whether the Army and Navy Pensions Committee will give special consideration to the case of widows of officers who were just commencing their professional and business careers and who have accepted commissions in His Majesty's Forces?
§ The PRIME MINISTER (Mr. Asquith)This is a matter for the discretion of the Committee.
§ 69. Sir WILLIAM BULLasked the Under-Secretary of State for War if he will consider the question of including in the grants to the dependants of sailors and soldiers children who were adopted by them prior to the outbreak of war and who are dependent on them?
§ The FINANCIAL SECRETARY to the WAR OFFICE (Mr. Harold Baker)This question would be within the scope of the Committee now sitting. Meanwhile I would refer the hon. Member to the answer which I gave to the hon. Member for North-East Lanark on the 18th instant.
§ 78. Mr. PATRICK O'BRIENasked the Under-Secretary of State for War whether it is intended that the extension of Army and Navy separation allowances to sons between fourteen and sixteen who attend a State-aided schol, other than an evening school, will apply to pupils of Irish Christian Brothers' schools and other similarly circumstanced Irish schools, receiving no direct State Grant but paid result fees by the Irish Intermediate Education Board in respect of their pupils who pass that Board's examinations; if so, whether this extension will apply to such pupils, irrespectively of whether they are individually preparing for the said examinations or not; and, if not, whether he will take steps to make this extension applicable to all such pupils, seeing that such schools in Ireland admittedly fulfil with marked efficiency the purposes of public elementary schools in Great Britain?
§ 85. Sir CHARLES HENRYasked the Financial Secretary to the War Office whether men from the National Reserve who have re-enlisted or have been called up for military service, and who on further medical examination have been found unfit for active or foreign service, are entitled to allowances and their families to separation allowances; and, if so, for what period?
§ Mr. BAKERGenerally speaking, allowances are issuable from the date of enlistment to the date of discharge. If my hon. Friend has any special case in mind, perhaps he will bring it to my notice.
§ 86. Mr. BARNESasked if men coming from the front permanently unfit on medical grounds are discharged without pay or any recognition, having regard to the fact that they had been passed into service as fit, and therefore had presumably become unfit owing to disease contracted at the front?
§ Mr. BAKERThe claims to pension of all such men are considered, and in all 1298 cases of disability due to service pension is awarded. Temporary grants of pension may also be given in cases where the disability was not caused by service. Everyone discharged unfit who does not get a pension gets a gratuity.
§ 87. Mr. BARNESasked if the scale of pensions and allowances, as laid down in the White Paper of the 9th instant, is now the scale on which payments are being made; and, if not, will the payments be made retrospective when commenced to be paid on the new scale, or when does payment on the new scale commence from?
§ Mr. BAKERThe scale of separation allowances is in operation and continues for twenty-six weeks. Before that period has elapsed I hope the new scale of pensions will have been finally settled.