§ 35. Mr. P. MEEHANasked the Financial Secretary to the War Office whether he has received resolutions from war pensions committees in Ireland urging that the system of basing separation allowances on pre-war dependence needs reconsideration, and giving reasons therefor; and whether he intends taking any action in the matter?
§ Mr. FORSTERNo, Sir. I cannot trace having received any such resolutions.
§ 36. Mr. O'SHAUGHNESSYasked the Financial Secretary to the War Office why Mrs. Walker, of Glin, County Limerick, wife of Sapper James Walker, No. 103548, Royal Engineers, has not received the separation allowance of 12s. 6d. a week which she was receiving from June, 1915, the date of her husband's enlistment, to September, 1916; is he aware that she received a memorandum from the paymaster at Chatham stating that her separation allowance had been reduced to 8s. 6d. a week and that, as she had been overpaid, 1s. 3d. a week would be deducted from the same; and whether, as she is a very poor woman in delicate health and has at present to live on the charity of her friends owing to the fact that she has received no allowance for some time, will he take steps to see that she gets the allowance at the old rate of 12s. 6d. a week and that the arrears due to her are paid at once?
§ Mr. FORSTERThe allowance of 12s. 6d. was paid in ignorance of the fact that the soldier and his wife had been separated before his enlistment. she is entitled to Ss. 6d. only. I am inquiring into the statement that she has received no allowance for some time.
§ Mr. O'SHAUGHNESSYIs the hon. Gentleman aware that the wife repudiates absolutely the charge that she was separated from her husband? Is he aware that her husband was in Scotland and that she was at home suffering from ill-health, and that that was the reason why she could not be with him? Having regard to these facts, will the hon. Gentleman reconsider the case if I put the facts before him?
§ Mr. FORSTERYes, if there is any doubt on questions of fact.
§ 83. Mr. HOGGEasked the Pensions Minister whether the grant of £3 to widows under the new Warrant is a retrospective payment?
§ The MINISTER of PENSIONS (Mr. Barnes)The grant is not retrospective. It will be paid in cases where the notification of death is received on or after the 4th April.
§ 84. Mr. P. MEEHANasked the Pensions Minister if he has received a resolution from the Waterford war pensions committee, proposed by the Marchioness of Waterford and passed unanimously, which resolution has been adopted 414 by many other war pensions committees in Ireland, urging that the refusing of a pension because there was no pre-war dependence needs reconsideration and giving four reasons therefor; and whether he intends taking any action in the matter?
§ Mr. BARNESI have received a copy of the resolution referred to in the question which has special reference to parents, and the hon. Member will, no doubt, have observed that provision is made in the new Warrant whereby pensions may be granted to parents in certain; circumstances, although there was no prewar dependence. If cases of hardship arise in other circumstances they can be dealt with under Statutory Committee-Regulation 32 of Part I.
§ 85. Mr. JOWETTasked the Pensions Minister if the £3 gratuity for widows of soldiers in addition to their pensions will be paid in all cases or whether it will be refused under exceptional circumstances; and, in the latter case, what is the nature of the exceptional circumstances that would disqualify a soldier's widow for the gratuity?
§ Mr. BARNESThe gratuity will be paid in all eases when the widow is qualified for pension, or temporary pension.
§ 86. Mr. JOWETTasked the Pensions Minister if men who have been discharged from the Army in consequence of disablement by reason of wounds or disease and widows and dependants of soldiers who have been killed in action or died of wounds due to or aggravated by military service, whose applications have already been made for pensions or gratuities but have not yet been dealt with, will be paid according to the provisions of the new Royal Warrant; and whether applications previously decided against applicants but which under the new Royal Warrant would be allowed may be renewed by the persons concerned?
§ Mr. BARNESThe provisions of the new Warrant will be applied to all existing pensions and to any pensions under consideration with effect from the first weekly payday in April. The answer to the latter portion of the question is in the affirmative.