§ 10. Colonel LESLIE WILSONasked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether he is aware that, when naval or marine officers are in receipt of retired pay and are too ill to sign the necessary pension papers, the Paymaster-General refuses to pay the pension, even though a medical certificate is forwarded; and whether he will take steps to make pensions in such cases immediately payable when due, as this procedure inflicts hardships on officers' families who may be left entirely destitute?
§ Dr. MACNAMARAAs the retired pay is payable to the officer himself, certain formalities are unavoidable, if he is unable to sign the usual documents, in order to ensure that the person to whom payment is made is duly entitled to receive it on his behalf. These formalities, which are prescribed by a Treasury Warrant under Section 5 of the Annual Appropriation Act, are dealt with as expeditiously as possible.