§ 78. Mr. BARNESasked the Secretary to the Local Government Board if the Statutory Committee on pensions, grants, and allowances has forwarded to him a resolution adopted by that body demanding that applicants for pensions should have a right to appeal against decisions of the War Office or Admiralty; and if he will state the terms of such resolution to the House and convey the same to the Government?
§ The PARLIAMENTARY SECRETARY to the LOCAL GOVERNMENT BOARD (Mr. Hayes Fisher)I am aware that a resolution as follows has been passed by the Statutory Committee:—
That, as the result of our investigations into the claims of widows and other dependants of deceased sailors and soldiers who have been refused pensions on the ground that they are not eligible for the same and whose cases in consequence have been referred to us by the Admiralty or War Office, with a view to their obtaining pensions or grants out of the funds at the disposal of the Statutory Committee, it is in our opinion just and expedient that such persons should have a right of appeal to some new tribunal, and inasmuch as we are by Statute obliged to consider whether or not we ought to award pensions or grants in such cases it is absolutely necessary that we should have the right to call for the papers connected with any case where a pension has been refused, and after considering the same to make recommendations to the Admiralty or the War Office with a view to their revising their decision.I understand that copies of the resolution have been forwarded to the Admiralty and War Office.