§ 10. Brigadier-General Sir OWEN THOMASasked the Pensions Minister whether the new additional bonus of 20 per cent. for eight months paid on war bonuses and allowances to dependants of soldiers and sailors will be extended to the dependants of officers and men of the merchant service whose lives were lost in auxiliary ships, and whose dependants are receiving Government allowance through the London and Liverpool War Risk Association?
§ Sir L. WORTHINGTON-EVANSThe bonus of 20 per cent. to which the hon. and gallant Member refers is only added to the pensions and allowances payable by the Ministry of Pensions. In the case of the Mercantile Marine only those men or the dependants of those men who signed Admiralty agreements to serve for the period of the War are pensionable by my Department, and the dependants referred to in the question presumably do not come within that category.
§ Major BREESEWill the hon. Gentleman take into consideration the claims of these widows?
§ Sir L. WORTHINGTON-EVANSThey do not come within my Department, as I told the hon. Member. They are receiving allowances through the War Risks Association.