HC Deb 20 November 1919 vol 121 cc1100-2
15. Mr. C. EDWARDS

asked the Pensions Minister how many women were discharged from His Majesty's forces through being declared medically unfit owing to wounds, injury, or disease; whether these women are entitled to gratuities or pensions on the same principle as those granted to men; and, if not, will he consider placing them under the same rule as soldiers discharged for similar reasons?

16. Captain LOSEBY

asked the Pensions Minister if he is aware that many women who served their country in various capacities on different fronts during the War, and were thereby incapacitated by sickness and other causes, are not in receipt of Government aid; and if he can give any information in regard to any contemplated action on his part?

Sir L. WORTHINGTON - EVANS

Women discharged from the auxiliary corps attached to the Army, Navy, and Air Service are not pensionable by my Department. They are, I understand, granted compensation in some cases under the Workmen's Compensation Acts, and in others under the Injuries in War Compensation Acts. The grants are administered by the Service Department concerned—that is, by the Admiralty, War Office, or Air Ministry, as the case may be. I must refer hon. Members to those Departments for more authoritative or detailed information as to the schemes of compensation and for particulars of the numbers of women concerned. I have received representations on this subject from many quarters within the last few weeks, but I have had no satisfactory evidence that the legitimate claims of these women cannot be met under existing arrangements. I am in communication on the matter with my right hon. Friends the First Lord of the Admiralty and the Secretary of State for War.

Captain LOSEBY

Is the hon. Baronet aware that many of these women, who before their gallant service were quite fit, are now totally incapacitated and in many cases destitute, and will he use his influence in the way of bringing them, if possible, under one Department?

Sir L. WORTHINGTON-EVANS

Of course I am not aware of that officially, because I have nothing whatever to do with these claims. If the women referred to were attached to the Army that ques- tion must be addressed to the War Office, and if to the Navy to the Admiralty, and so on.