HC Deb 20 February 1919 vol 112 cc1113-4
29. Mr. REMER

asked the Pensions Minister whether his attention has been called to the dissatisfaction existing among discharged soldiers and sailors at the action of the Ministry in deducting past payment of service gratuities that were paid on discharge from the present special supplementary war service gratuity, namely, £5 for twelve months' service?

Captain GUEST

The wargratuity is, by decision of the War Cabinet, a substitute for, not an addition to, the smaller Service gratuity. It follows that where the Service gratuity has already been, drawn, it has to be deducted from the gross amount now payable, to avoid an obviously indefensible inequality of treatment.