HC Deb 30 November 1916 vol 88 cc607-9

(1) This Act may be cited as the Ministry of Pensions Act, 1916.

(2) For the purposes of this Act "service pension" means any pension or award in respect of length of service or special Service or attached to any medal or other decoration, whether payable to persons who have been officers or men, or their widows, children, or other dependants, and the expression "pension" in relation to officers includes retired pay.

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

Mr. FORSTER

Clause 2 defines the powers to be transferred from the War Office and the Admiralty to the new Department, subject to the exception of Service pensions. In Clause 9 we define roughly what Service pensions are. There is at present a certain amount of doubt as-to what is included in the expression "Service pensions," and whether, for instance, it includes gratuities payable to temporary or retired officers or to soldiers on discharge, and the question of deferred pay and of reserve pay. I had Amendments prepared with the object of clearing up these points. They are not on the Paper, because we did not wish to interfere in any way with the consideration of the arrangement which the House forced on us on Monday last, but on the Report stage I propose to put down those Amendments, so that hon. Gentlemen will not be surprised when they see them, and will not suspect us of any ulterior motive.

Mr. BARLOW

Does the definition as it stands now include prize money?

Mr. FORSTER

I do not think that we have got prize money in the Army.

Mr. HOGGE

As I understand, Clause 2 specifically named certain powers that you are handing over, and all other powers are reserved to the Department. A great many of us are ignorant as to what those powers are, and I would suggest some sort of schedule defining what powers you are not handing over, and that everything else would be left to the new Department. I know that all sorts of things are cropping up and letter writers ask for information about this kind of grant and that kind of grant. These are little things, but those are the things that are going to result in much correspondence, and I suggest, therefore, the alternative of defining the smaller things which are not handed over.

Mr. BARLOW

Perhaps by leave of the House I might put to the Secretary to the Admiralty the question I put a few moments ago to the Financial Secretary. It is a question which has been put to me, and therefore I wish to ask it again: That is whether prize money will in any way be affected? I should like an assurance about that.

Dr. MACNAMARA

It is proposed absolutely to exclude service pensions. What my hon. Friend wants to know is whether the Pensions Minister will have any control over the distribution of prize bounty or prize money? I should say certainly not.

Question put, and agreed to.

Bill reported; as amended, to be considered upon Monday next, and to be printed. [Bill 131.]