HC Deb 30 November 1916 vol 88 cc601-3

The local committees constituted under the Naval and Military War Pensions, etc., Act, 1915, shall, at the instance of the Minister of Pensions, exercise, with respect to pensions and grants administered by that Minister, all such functions as to inquiring, reporting, collecting, and furnishing information and distributing grants as by the said Act are exercisable by those committees at the instance of the Statutory Committee.

Mr. STUART-WORTLEY

I have on the old Paper an Amendment: After the word pensions," to insert the words "but to the exclusion of any other body or person. This has been represented to me by the local committee of my own Constituency; they are very anxious to co-operate, but they do not think there ought to be delegation granted as regards part of their duties.

Mr. HENDERSON

I hope the right hon. Gentleman will not press the Amendment. I am glad to notice that it is a proposal on behalf of some committee, but I do not know why they should be unnecessarily alarmed. I have already shown that I am exceedingly anxious to work in close co-operation with the local committees, but at this moment I cannot accept a proposal that I should restrict my power to making an inquiry in an important city like Sheffield by anyone else except the members of the committee, whose work I have not yet been able to inquire into. I hope, therefore, he will not ask me to accept this Amendment.

Mr. STUART-WORTLEY

Much will depend on the local committees.

Mr. HENDERSON

Yes; I want to-work with them.

Mr. STUART-WORTLEY

I ask leave to withdraw the Amendment.

Amendment, by leave, withdrawn.

Mr. STUART-WORTLEY

The Amendment which I wish to submit raises the question whether local committees should have the powers to make the necessary advances of money, thereby continuing what might appear to be extinguished by this Bill. By the existing Act they have the power so far as this Clause enumerates them, but the powers to which I refer-seem to be dropped—the power of making money advances, and also another power, that of making money contributions. Naturally, it may be argued that these powers should be included in the enumeration made by the Clause.

Mr. J. SAMUEL

Under Clause 3, a. former Clause, we have taken over the powers of the Statutory Committee, and practically the Naval and Military "War Pensions Act of 1915. Under Section 4 of that Act the local committees have power to make advances out of moneys granted by the Statutory Committee from the£1,000,000. This Act does not destroy those powers, which will be continued.

The CHAIRMAN

The matter is covered by a previous money grant.

Mr. BARLOW

Section 3 only covers-the powers of the Statutory Committee, and does not cover the powers of the local, committee. I should have thought that we ought to have had general words in. Section 4 transferring all the powers.

The CHAIRMAN

The committees have already received these powers.

Mr. PERCY HARRIS (Paddington, S.)

I beg to move after the word "information" ["furnishing information"], to insert the words "making recommendation."

One of the functions of the local committees was to report on cases to the Statutory Committee and make their recommendations. Nothing is said about that duty in this Clause. It only refers to their collecting and furnishing information.

Mr. HENDERSON

I accept the Amendment.

Amendment agreed to.

Motion made, and Question proposed, "That the Clause, as amended, stand part of the Bill."

Mr. J. SAMUEL

I should like to know the reason why the right hon. Gentleman has dropped the former extension of this Clause, that is taking power to create these committees in the different boroughs. It is a subject to which I have already called attention. Do I understand that the right hon. Gentleman will have power to do this when he assumes his office?

Mr. HENDERSON

That has been explained on a previous Clause.

Question put, and agreed to.