§ 102. Mr. PARTINGTONasked the Under-Secretary of State for War whether no pensions are granted to soldiers who have contracted tuberculosis on active service?
§ Mr. TENNANTNo, Sir, any statement to that effect is altogether incorrect, as my hon. Friend stated in debate on 21st February. I find that of eighty-seven cases of men discharged in January, 1916, for tuberculosis contracted in France, seventy were granted pensions at war rates, nine have been granted final pensions and eight cases are still under consideration.
§ Mr. BOOTHHave not hundreds of these cases now come back on to the Insurance Act?
§ Mr. TENNANTNo, Sir, I am not aware of anything of the kind. If this particular month which I have quoted is an average month, then out of eighty-seven cases seventy-nine have received pensions, therefore there can be no kind of reason for doing what my hon. Friend suggests.
§ Sir C. KINLOCH-COOKEIs it not a fact that there is one man at any rate, suffering from tuberculosis who is now in the workhouse and has no pension?
§ Mr. TENNANTOne man! I have no doubt that may be true.
§ Mr. PRINGLEIs not the right hon. Gentleman aware that people have been prosecuted and sent to prison for saying what the hon. Gentleman (Sir C. Kinloch-Cooke) has just said?