65. sir GILBERT PARKERasked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether, if an officer of the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve obtains a temporary commission in the Royal Marines and falls on the battlefield, his relatives receive no gratuity, while, in the case of an officer entering the Army from the Territorials or by the route of cadet training, his relatives receive a gratuity if he falls on the battlefield; and whether, in view of the achievements of many officers of the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve or with temporary commissions in the Royal Marines and their service for the nation on the battle fields of Flanders and Gallipoli, he pro poses to reconsider their position?
§ 66. Sir C. KINLOCH-COOKEasked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether he is aware that if a man becomes an officer in the Royal Naval Volunteer Re serve or obtains a temporary commission in the Royal Marines and meets his death on the battlefield his relatives receive no gratuity as in the case of the relatives of 272 officers who enter the Army from the Territorials or after a course of cadet training; and whether he will consider the advisability of placing the two Forces on the same footing in this respect?
§ Dr. MACNAMARAAwards are made by the Ministry of Tensions to the relatives of officers of the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve and officers holding temporary commissions in the Royal Marines who are killed in action under similar conditions and on similar scales to those made to the relatives of officers of the Territorial Army and officers holding temporary commissions in the Army. The questions, however, refer to gratuities payable under certain conditions by the War Office to officers rendering temporary service during the War or to their estates in the event of their death during war service. The regulations governing the service of officers of the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve and officers holding temporary commissions in the Royal Marines provide for payment of no similar gratuity. The matter will, however, be considered, but I must not be understood as giving any assurance that such gratuity will be approved.
§ Sir C. KINLOCH-COOKEWhen and by whom is this going to be considered?
§ Dr. MACNAMARAIt will have to be considered by us, and if we put forward any recommendation it will have to go to the Treasury. If we put forward any recommendation, we shall do so without delay.
§ Sir C. KINLOCH-COOKEWill the right hon. Gentleman give an. undertaking that this will be put before the Treasury?
§ Dr. MACNAMARAIt must first be put before the Board of Admiralty.
§ Captain SHEEHANIf a gratuity is paid in the case of the officers in the Regular service, why should it not be paid in this case?
§ Dr. MACNAMARAMy hon. and gallant Friend must realise that we cannot take one item in one Service and compare it with another Service, and say that because a thing is so in one Service it must be so in the other. We must survey the whole field.
Colonel WILSONAs this question was brought to the notice of the Admiralty about eighteen months ago, will any 273 decision as to paying the relatives of these officers who have been killed be retrospective?
§ Dr. MACNAMARAI will bear that in mind. I can give no undertaking.
§ Sir C. KINLOCH-COOKEI will put down another question.
§ Mr. HARCOURTHave the Admiralty considered recently the case of officers employed solely on land service?
§ Dr. MACNAMARANot to my knowledge.
§ 70. Mr. ANDERSONasked the Pensions Minister whether he is aware that Sergeant-Major James Edward Wright, No. 1513, 3rd County of London Yeomanry, made application in October, 1916, for increase of pension and was supported by the local sub-committee for St. Marylebone, who repeatedly urged consideration of his claim; that the St. Marylebone sub - committee warned the Ministry of Pensions on 18th December that unless some award was made which would relieve the man from the necessity of continuing in his employment he would probably die from aggravation of illness wholly attributable to his military service during the present War; that no award was made and that this soldier died on 20th January, fifteen months after he had made application and twenty months after the date of his discharge; and whether he will see that the widow is not allowed to suffer from the delay in making the award of increase of pension beyond that already given for his previous service in the Regular Army?
§ The PARLIAMENTARY SECRETARY to the MINISTRY of PENSIONS (Sir A. Griffith-Boscawen)Wright was discharged on 7th May, 1916, on account of valvular disease of the heart, which was held by the Chelsea Commissioners not to have been caused or aggravated by service in the present War, and nothing, therefore, could be added to the Service pension which he previously enjoyed. There was, I regret, very great delay in dealing with the applications of the St. Marylebone committee for a reconsideration of this decision. I have had inquiries made as to the cause of this delay, and am in communication with the Marylebone sub-committee. The pension has been revised now, and the arrears will be paid to the man's estate, so that the widow will not suffer. She will be en- 274 titled to a pension as well as to the arrears of the man's pension, and this will be dealt with as soon as the death certificate is received.
§ Mr. ANDERSONIs there not something wrong when a delay of twenty months takes place in regard to the men's pay, and men are allowed to die before anything is paid?
§ Sir A. GRIFFITH-BOSCAWENPart of this delay was before the Pensions Ministry was in existence. I admit at once that there has been unjustifiable delay, and the whole question of dealing with the correspondence is now being overhauled.
§ 72. Mr. PENNEFATHERasked the Pensions Minister when the amended Regulations of the Special Grants Committee will be issued; and, it not, will he take steps to expedite their issuance at the earliest possible date, in order that there should be no further delay in remedying existing hardships and inequalities'?
§ 76. Mr. HOGGEasked the Pensions Minister whether the old Regulations of the Statutory Committee have been revised, and, if not, when will they be?
§ Sir A. GRIFFITH-BOSCAWENThe Regulations of the Special Grants Committee, who exercise certain of the functions of the old Statutory Committee, have all been recently revised. The issue of the revised Part I. of the Regulations is only awaiting the completion of the Instructions, and it is hoped to have them in print and in the hands of the local committees within the course of the next few weeks. With regard to Part II., certain of the new Regulations are still under consideration, but a Circular containing such of them as have been approved is now with the printers and will very shortly be issued.
§ Mr. HOGGEWill the hon. Gentleman make certain that the proposals of the Ministry with regard to Part II. have not yet been approved by the Treasury?
§ Sir A. GRIFFITH-BOSCAWENWhat I said was that they are still under consideration.
§ 73. Mr. PENNEFATHERasked the Pensions Minister if he will communicate to all Members of Parliament, as well as to local war pensions committees, the terms rand conditions on which discharged disabled men wall be treated by hospitals; 275 and if arrangements will be made whereby men who require massage can obtain it at hours which do not interfere with such employment as they may be able to obtain?
§ Sir A. GRIFFITH-BOSCAWENI will gladly send copies of the Instructions which have been issued to local war pensions committees, as to the terms and conditions of hospital treatment for discharged men to any hon. Member who desires them, but I doubt whether the demand for them is sufficient to justify general circulation. I am quite prepared to consider special arrangements for massage treatment on the lines indicated by the hon. Member.
§ Mr. BILLINGIs the hon. Gentleman aware that private Members are constantly receiving communications from their constituents in regard to the Pensions Ministry, and Will he consider whether, in regard to Resolutions and Instructions decided upon by the Ministry, they can be circulated among Members in order that they may be in a position to answer questions put to them by constituents?
§ Sir A. GRIFFITH-BOSCAWENI am willing to circulate the Instructions.
§ 74. Mr. HOGGEasked the Pensions Minister if he can now state whether the pension to widows and children is to be increased?
§ Sir A. GRIFFITH-BOSCAWENI am not yet in a position to add anything to my previous replies on this question.
§ Mr. HOGGETo save the trouble of putting down the question over and over again, can the hon. and gallant Gentleman tell me when he expects a decision with regard to this specific question, which is most urgent?
§ Sir A. GRIFFITH-BOSCAWENMy hon. Friend knows perfectly well that this is not a matter which rests only with the Pensions Ministry, and he knows, therefore, that I cannot promptly give an answer. The matter is under consideration of the various Departments concerned. I hope, to be able to make an announcement before long.
§ Mr. BILLINGIn view of the increased cost of food, and the numbers of families to whom this is serious, will the hon. and gallant Gentleman use his influence in pressing for a decision of this matter?
§ Sir A. GRIFFITH-BOSCAWENOf course!
§ 75. Mr. HOGGEasked the Pensions Minister whether pensions to discharged men who have served previous to this War have now been brought into line with the present rates; and whether the same can be done for all dependants?
§ Sir A. GRIFFITH-BOSCAWENA conference, resulting in a substantial measure of agreement, has been held within the last few days between the various Departments concerned in this question. I hope, therefore, to be able to make an announcement at an early date.
§ General M'CALMONTCan the hon. Gentleman say whether this will include the pensions of pre-war officers' widows?
§ Sir A. GRIFFITH-BOSCAWENNo; up to date we have been dealing only with other ranks; we have not been dealing with the question to which the hon. and gallant Gentleman refers, and we have not held any conference upon it.