§ 53. Colonel ASHLEYasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether, in view of the fact that the pensions granted for long and faithful service in the Army and Navy prior to the War have not been revised to meet the increased cost of living, although other pensions, grants, and allowances have been increased on this account, he will consider the addition of a war bonus to such pensions in cases where the pensioners are in need?
§ The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER (Mr. Bonar Law)I would refer my hon. and gallant Friend to the reply which I gave yesterday to my hon. and gallant Friend the Member for Southport.
§ Colonel ASHLEYDoes not the cost of living in the case of men who served prior to this War bear equally hard on them?
§ Mr. BONAR LAWYes, it certainly does, and I am sure that we should all like to increase the amount payable to those men if we possibly could; but I think my hon. Friend must see that if you are to begin in this way it is difficult to say where it will end.
§ Colonel YATEThe old pensioners of the Crimea and the Indian Mutiny are comparatively few, and cannot some further consideration be shown to them?
§ Mr. BONAR LAWWe desire to do all that can be done fairly, and this has been shown already in the fact that we have assimilated the pensions before the War and other matters of that kind to those in this War.
§ 64. Mr. HOGGEasked the Pensions Minister what the war bonus on existing pensions scales is to be?
§ Sir A. GRIFFITH-BOSCAWENThe matter is still under consideration, but I hope soon to be able to make a further announcement.