§ 86. Sir ARTHUR FELLasked the Pensions Minister if any and what special pension is granted to an officer who has contracted tuberculosis by exposure on active service and who, after treatment at a sanatorium, has been retired from the Army on half-pay as totally unfit even for light duty; and if he will say what is proposed to be done in such cases to put these officers on the same level as other sufferers from active service in war?
§ Sir A. GRIFFITH-BOSCAWENIf the officer is on half-pay, his treatment is a matter for the consideration of the War Office. I have no power, to deal with officers on the half-pay list. When the officer is retired on account of the disability, he receives retired pay and such medical treatment as his case requires from the Ministry of Pensions on the same conditions as officers retired for other disabilities.
§ Sir A. FELLDo I understand the Minister of Pensions has nothing to do with the additional pensions granted to 1603 officers who retire through the loss of a limb or an eye or a lung; that it would not come within his Department?
§ Sir A. GRIFFITH-BOSCAWENCertainly; when a man is retired from the Service altogether he gets retired pay from us, in addition, it may be, to a wound pension, but until he has retired from the Service we cannot deal with him; and an officer on half-pay is still in the Service.
§ Colonel Lord HENRY CAVENDISH-BENTINCKDoes that mean that an officer on half-pay has to pay for all further treatment himself? If he needs treatment in a sanatorium will he have to pay himself?