§ 12. Lieutenant-Colonel Sir SAMUEL HOAREasked the Pensions Minister whether local pensions committees are only authorised to pay £5 to meet the expenses of indigent discharged soldiers, their wives, and dependants; whether, in the event of the expenses exceeding this amount, the expenses have to be met by the Poor Law guardians; and whether, if this is the case, local committees can be authorised to incur a greater expenditure in order that no Poor Law taint should be attached to the funerals of discharged soldiers and their dependants?
§ 14. Sir KINGSLEY WOODasked the Pensions Minister whether he has now arranged to increase the grant in cases of discharged soldiers and sailors dying from disability due to service so as to render unnecessary application to the Poor Law authorities in respect of the expenses of their funerals?
§ Sir L. WORTHINGTON-EVANSI am not yet able to make a statement with regard to an increase in funeral grants.
§ Sir K. WOODIn the interval have grants to be applied for to the local Poor Law authorities in respect of funerals of deceased soldiers and sailors, and when will the hon. Gentleman be able to come 590 to a decision in the matter, inasmuch as this question has been put down during the last four weeks without a reply?
§ Sir L. WORTHINGTON-EVANSI am very well aware of the circumstances, and I have every sympathy with the object, and I hope within the next week or two the matter may be settled.