§ 5. Colonel ASHLEYasked the Pensions Minister whether he will reconsider his decision that parents' pensions based on dependence, although no separation allowance was issued while the soldier was serving, shall be paid from the date of application only and not from the date of death, in view of the fact that the onus of awarding such pensions without application should rest on the Government, as no intimation was issued to parents at the time of the soldier's death that a claim could be made, and that the Ministry of Pensions publicity campaign advertising parents' pensions did not commence until several years after the outbreak of war, the result being that in a large number of cases, through ignorance of the regulations, parents made no application for a considerable time after the soldier's death and have been greatly penalized?
§ Sir L. WORTHINGTON-EVANSI regret that I am unable to reconsider the decision that parents' pensions which depend upon application can only be awarded as from the date on which the application is made.