§ 24. Mr. ALFRED DAVIES (Clitheroe)asked the Minister of Labour whether he is aware that a considerable number of pensioners have been refused grants by the Civil Liabilities Commissioners on account of their applications being too 1200 late; whether he is aware that many Local War Pensions Committees were never informed as to the final date when application for grants could be made, with the result that many bonâ fide cases have been ruled out; and whether, seeing that pensioners depended largely upon the advice and instruction received from Local War Pensions Committees, he will take steps to have reviewed all cases recommended by such committees?
§ 33. Mr. FOREMANasked the Minister of Labour whether he is willing to reconsider all cases in which it seems that hardship is caused by the refusal of the Military Service (Civil Liabilities) Department to make any payment to men who have postponed their applications for aid till one year after demobilisation in the hope to make, without State aid, both ends meet; whether he needs authority for this course; and whether he can now make a statement on the whole subject?
§ The MINISTER of LABOUR (Dr. Macnamara)I would refer my hon. Friends to the reply given on Thursday last to a question asked on this subject by the hon. Member for Hammersmith, North (Mr. Foreman), who now puts No. 33, in which I promised that I would look into the question of the one year's rule afresh if experience shows that hardship is caused by its operation. I am going into this matter further, and will communicate with my hon. Friends as soon as I am in a position to do so.