§ 91. Mr. RUPERT GWYNNEasked the Financial Secretary to the War Office if, in view of the fact that the Government have now accepted the definition of a soldier's dependant as anyone who is found as a fact to have been dependent on him, he will see that the Army Order of 27th October last, which defines dependants as members of the soldier's family, is cancelled and that a fresh order is circulated in all Post Offices and other necessary places?
Mr. BAKERThe Army Order in question was amended on 26th February in this particular, and a fresh leaflet has been issued to all Post Offices and other necessary places.
§ Mr. GWYNNEWill the hon. Gentleman see that it is circulated to all Post Offices'? To my certain knowledge it is not at all the Post Offices yet.
§ 93. Mr. KEIR HARDIEasked the Financial Secretary to the War Office what is the practice in cases in which a mother is granted allowances where she has more than one son at the front; is she entitled to a sum on behalf of each son equal to what his earnings contributed to her comfort before his enlistment; and is there any monetary limit which binds the mother who has three or four sons in the Army down to the allowance level of another who may have only one so serving?
Mr. BAKERThe mother is eligible for allowances for each son according to the support actually given before enlistment, but the total contribution from public funds is limited to the grant for a wife. When there are several sons they may increase the total by separate allotments.
§ Mr. RAFFANI understand that where two sons enlist, one can make an allotment to his mother and the other to his father. If more than two sons enlist, can the third make an allotment to a sister, and the fourth to a brother, and so on?
§ 94. Lord ROBERT CECILasked the Financial Secretary to the War Office what instructions have been issued to the pension officers as to the method of arriving at the separation allowances for dependants; whether any similar instruction have been communicated to the pen- 1152 sions committees; and whether those committees are informed whether their recommendations have been adopted or not, or any other guidance given to them in the performance of their duties?
Mr. BAKERAs regards the instructions issued to pension officers, I would refer the Noble Lord to the answer given to the hon. Member for Lanarkshire on the 10th February, of which I will send him a copy. I understand instructions to pension committees have been given, or will be given, by the Local Government Boards concerned. It is not the general practice to inform committees of individual decisions unless some point of principle is involved affecting their future proceedings.
§ Sir RYLAND ADKINSCan the hon. Gentleman send me a copy of that?
§ Lord ROBERT CECILIs the hon. Gentleman aware that some people, at any rate, find it very difficult to discharge their duties in the absence of all indication as to what line they ought to take?
Mr. BAKERThe instructions to pension committees are issued by the Local Government Board. I understand arrangements have been made for more frequent conferences between pension officers and pension committees.
§ Lord ROBERT CECILIs it really impossible to communicate to pension committees the instructions given to pension officers?
Mr. BAKERThey are under separate authority, but I understand the instructions are similar if not identical.
§ Mr. OUTHWAITEHave arrangements yet been made to reimburse these pension committees in the matter of granting all these allowances?
§ Mr. OUTHWAITEPension committees are put to certain expense, and are they being reimbursed?
§ Sir RYLAND ADKINSAre these Departments of State watertight Departments?
§ Lord ROBERT CECILI give notice that I shall call attention to this, in order to obtain a fuller statement from the Departments concerned.