§ 19. Sir WILLIAM DAVISONasked the Pensions Minister whether a number of conscientious objectors who refused military service have been declared to be eligible for war pensions, and, if so, by what authority?
§ The PARLIAMENTARY SECRETARY to the MINISTRY of PENSIONS (Major Tryon)Assuming that by "military service" my hon. Friend means combatant service, the answer to the first part of the question is in the affirmative. A conscientious objector who is taken into the Army and subjected to military discipline is a soldier under the Army Act, and as such is within the definition of soldier in the Pensions Warrant. Consequently he is entitled to pension if, while in the Army and without negligence or misconduct on his part, he sustains disablement in the performance of the military duties, whether combatant or non-combatant, assigned to him by his superior officers.
§ Sir W. DAVISONIs the hon. Gentleman aware of the strong feeling in the country against war pensions being awarded to men who declined to fight for their country, especially having regard to the fact that these pensions are greatly in excess of those which are being paid to men who have fought for their country in the South African and other wars?
§ Major TRYONAll that has happened recently has been that a number of conscientious objectors, who have been discharged from the Army, were by order of the Minister of Pensions medically examined in order to protect the taxpayer.
§ Lieut.-Commander KENWORTHYIs it not the fact that many of these men who served abroad incurred much greater risks than so-called soldiers who never went abroad?