§ 23. Mr. FRANCIS MEEHANasked the Under-Secretary of State for War whether the claims of wives and dependants of members of the Royal Irish Constabulary who had volunteered for military service to the war bonus have yet been considered; whether the sacrifices in reduction of pay of these men have been taken into consideration; and, if not, when will they be considered?
§ The CHIEF SECRETARY for IRELAND (Mr. Duke)My hon. Friend has asked me to reply. The constabulary allowances to the wives and dependants of Royal Irish Constabulary reservists and volunteers for military service have been increased by the amount of additional pay sanctioned by the Constabulary and Police (Ireland) Act, 1916, as well as by the war bonus granted in that year. The question of an increase in the war bonus is under consideration.
§ 24. Mr. MEEHANasked the Under-Secretary of State for War whether he is aware that Corporal J. Nagle, No. 9006, 3rd Battalion, E Company, Royal Irish Rifles, Victoria Barracks, Belfast, on enlistment two years ago made an allowance of 3s. 6d. per week to his mother, and the War Office allowed only 2s. per week dependant's allowance; and whether, having regard to the fact that he was an only son to support his mother, and that he would now be in receipt of £40 per 1724 year if he had remained at business, his claim for the usual allowance and arrears to his mother will be reconsidered?
§ The FINANCIAL SECRETARY to the WAR OFFICE (Mr. Forster)The War Office has no power to make allowances on any basis other than that of the actual degree of dependence before enlistment. Any application based on what might have happened if the soldier had remained a civilian should be addressed to my right hon. Friend the Minister of Pensions.
§ Mr. WINGWill there be any possibility of reconsidering these war allowances, in view of such cases as this?
§ Mr. FORSTERSurely my hon. Friend will see that if the machinery has been entrusted to the Ministry of Pensions for reconsidering the cases, there is no object in duplicating it by entrusting it again to the War Office?
§ Mr. WINGI am speaking of the amounts of money they receive which do not come under pensions in the sense of allowances.
§ Mr. FORSTERI understand that, but the responsibility of determining whether or not the dependant's allowance should be increased because the soldier, owing to his youth, was unable to make a substantial contribution towards the upkeep of the home before enlistment, has been entrusted to the Ministry of Pensions.
§ Mr. WINGBut the pension committees do not really carry out the spirit indicated by the hon. Gentleman in his reply.
§ Mr. FORSTERThe hon. Member must take that up with the Minister of Pensions.
§ 33. Sir C. NICHOLSONasked the Financial Secretary to the War Office whether, when allotment is made by a soldier on enlistment or mobilisation, the amount of that allotment, when deducted from the soldier's pay, should be remitted to the payee as from the date of the allotment; and whether, if allowance is claimed on behalf of a dependant, such allowance with allotment should be issuable from the date of enlistment or mobilisation or from the date when allotment is made and allowance claimed, irrespective of the delay due to investigation by the pensions officer?
§ Mr. FORSTERThe answer to the first part of the question is in the affirmative. Payment of allowance for a dependant runs from the date of enlistment, provided that the soldier makes a claim within ten days of his enlistment. If the claim is not made within the ten days the allowance is paid as from the date on which the claim is received by his commanding officer.
§ 36. Sir GEORGE TOULMINasked the Pensions Minister whether a pension awarded to a man on account of disability sustained on active service, and. who is now recalled to the Colours under the Military Service (Review of Exceptions) Act, is held in abeyance for the period of his present service; and whether upon discharge that pension is continued in addition to any pension that may be awarded on account of subsequent disability or whether the claim to a pension is assessed upon the admitted total disability at the time of discharge?
§ The MINISTER of PENSIONS (Mr. Barnes)Any pension in process of payment to a man recalled to the Colours in the circumstances quoted will be continued for the currency of the award, with resurvey at the end of the stated period, if the pension was a conditional one. The allowances for children will not be continued, as these will be provided for in separation allowance. If the man is subsequently invalided for a different disability, he will be eligible for a further pension or gratuity in addition to any pension which he may be drawing in respect of his first disability; but if the second invaliding is for the same cause as the first one pension only, assessed upon the admitted total disability at the time of discharge, will be awarded.
§ 37. Sir G. TOULMINasked the Pensions Minister the basis upon which the amount of gratuity is awarded in the case of dependants of deceased soldiers; whether there is a scale of such awards; and, if so, will he publish that scale?
§ Mr. BARNESThe gratuity, which is generally given only where the dependant is not qualified for pension, is limited by Article 22 (2) of the Royal Warrant to a year's pay of the deceased, or a year's allowance at the rate at which separation allowance and allotment were last payable. In most cases the maximum grant is made and no scale has been laid down or is considered necessary.
§ 38. Sir G. TOULMINasked the Pensions Minister, on the question of whether a discharged soldier's disability has or has not been caused or aggravated by military service, whether the finding of the medical board at Chelsea, which recommends the man's discharge is final, or can be subsequently overruled to his detriment without a further physical examination; and, if so, by whom?
§ The PARLIAMENTARY SECRETARY to the MINISTRY of PENSIONS (Colonel Sir A. Griffith-Boscawen)The finding of the medical boards which form the basis of the awards of pensions at Chelsea would only be overruled to the man's detriment by the medical referee on the Advisory Board there in cases where it was found that the medical board had dealt with the case on incomplete or incorrect information. The finding of the medical referee or of the Advisory Board can be overruled by the Minister, but it is most unlikely that this would be done to the man's detriment.
§ Sir G. TOULMINCan the hon. Member say whether that revision takes place without a further physical examination?
§ Sir A. GRIFFITH-BOSCAWENThat depends entirely on the circumstances. In many cases, when there is a doubt, we order a fresh examination.
63. Mr. MacCALLUM SCOTTasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty whether the Admiralty has considered that, although the allowance for dependants of active service ratings may be adequate in the case of men who were serving before the commencement of the War and whose dependants are now placed in a better position than before, it is inadequate in the case of men who have joined for continuous service since the commencement of the War, and whose dependants are now in a much worse position than they were before his enlistment in comparison both with the amount of dependency and with the dependants of men enlisted for hostilities; and whether he proposes to take any action in the matter?
§ The PARLIAMENTARY SECRETARY to the ADMIRALTY (Dr. Macnamara)I appreciate the point of my hon. Friend's question. But I am afraid it is not possible to give the more favourable treatment he suggests to the men who have joined for continuous service since the commencement of the War. Such 1727 discrimination would obviously be unfair to those who joined for continuous service before the commencement of hostilities. Further, the Statutory Committee have a Regulation giving them power to make suitable additions in proper cases.
Mr. SCOTTHow would it be unfair, seeing that it would be based entirely upon dependence and that in the case of the men who were serving before the War there was not dependence?
§ Dr. MACNAMARAThere must have been dependence before the date of their admission. I cannot discriminate between those who enlisted before 4th August, 1914, and those who enlisted after that date.
§ 39. Mr. PENNEFATHERasked the Minister of Pensions whether a dependant, Class A, may exercise option as to pension or gratuity; whether, if a gratuity is awarded, any sums paid prior to the award of such gratuity are deducted from the amount of that award; and what is the rule which governs such deductions?
§ Sir A. GRIFFITH-BOSCAWENThe decision, where the Regulations provide for an alternative as to whether a pension or gratuity is to be awarded, rests with the Ministry. In the case of parents pensions are normally granted, but where the dependence was slight, and a gratuity appears more beneficial, it is given in lieu of a pension. Other dependants are only granted pensions if incapable of self-support and in pecuniary need. In other circumstances they receive a gratuity under Article 22 (2) of the Royal Warrant. If a gratuity is awarded, any sums paid after the normal period for which separation allowance is admissible, and pending final decision on the claim, are deemed to be part of the gratuity.
§ 40. Mr. HOGGEasked the Minister of Pensions whether any supplementary allowance, equivalent to the amount issued supplementary to the separation allowance payable in the case of the family of a soldier residing within the London postal area, is issued supplementary to pension awarded to the widow, family, or dependants of such soldier?
§ Sir A. GRIFFITH-BOSCAWENThe allowance to families resident in the London area is only paid in respect of separation allowances, and is not con- 1728 tinued in respect of pension. I would point out that widows are eligible for alternative pensions based on the pre-war earnings of the husband, and that under the new Regulations of the Statutory Committee allowances in cases of special hardship can be granted to widows and dependants in addition to this maximum pension under the Royal Warrant.