§ 7. Captain LOSEBYasked the Minister of Pensions if he is aware that medical boards still frequently refuse to inform soldiers immediately after examination of the degree of disability at which they have been assessed; and if he will consider the advisability of issuing emphatic instructions upon this subject?
§ Sir L. WORTHINGTON-EVANSI am sending the hon. and gallant Member a copy of an Office Instruction, issued in December of last year, from which he will see that explicit directions have been issued to Medical Boards in this matter. 1498 I shall be glad to have particulars of any cases where these directions are not being observed.
§ Captain LOSEBYIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that this omission is particularly striking in the case of disabled soldiers wounded prior to 1914 who are being re-assessed?
§ Sir L. WORTHINGTON-EVANSI have not had my attention called to any differentiation between pre-1914 and post-1914 men, but I will sec whether there is any such differentiation. There is no instruction.
§ 8. Captain LOSEBYasked the Minister of Pensions if he is aware that many officers, non-commissioned officers, and men disabled prior to 1914 have not yet realised that they are entitled to the same disability pensions as soldiers wounded in the late War; and if he will consider the advisability of giving the widest possible publicity to the latest Regulations affecting their position?
§ Sir L. WORTHINGTON-EVANSThe increases of pension which can be granted to officers and men disabled in former wars have been made public by means of repeated questions and answers in this House, by announcements in the press and by circular letter addressed to all Local War Pensions Committees in the United Kingdom.
§ Captain REDMONDIn view of the fact that the House recently carried a Resolution in favour of giving increased pensions to policemen, will the right hon. Gentleman not take into consideration that the same course should be taken in the case of ex-soldiers?
§ Sir L. WORTHINGTON-EVANSI have nothing to do with policemen.
§ Sir J. BUTCHERIs it necessary for these officers and men to make application before they are given the increased pensions?
§ Sir L. WORTHINGTON-EVANSThe conditions have been stated publicly over and over again, and communicated to the Press, and by circular to the Local War Pensions Committees, and I think I am right in saying by advertisements in the ex-service papers, but if not I will see that they are advertised.
§ 9. Captain LOSEBYasked the Minister of Pensions if a soldier to whom a permanent disability pension at the highest rate was awarded prior to 1914 becomes now automatically entitled to the highest disability rate applicable to soldiers wounded in the recent War?
§ Sir L. WORTHINGTON-EVANSA soldier to whom a, permanent disability pension at the highest rate was awarded prior to 1914 does not automatically become entitled to the highest disability-rate applicable to soldiers wounded in the Great War. He becomes entitled to that rate only if he is now totally disabled by the disability for which he was originally pensioned and provided that such disability was due to service in a former War.
§ Captain LOSEBYAre soldiers wounded in the recent War who are awarded a permanent pension liable to be called up before another board?
§ Sir L. WORTHINGTON-EVANSThat does not arise out of the question, but the permanent pensioner does receive a permanent pension.
§ Lieut.-Colonel ARCHER-SHEEIs there any reason why a pre-War permanent pensioner should not also receive the increased permanent war pension?
§ Sir L. WORTHINGTON-EVANSThat is precisely what he does, if he is suffering from a disability for which he got a permanent pension.
§ Captain LOSEBYDoes not the term permanent pension mean a pension permanently awarded, and not liable to be re-assessed by a fresh board?
§ Sir L. WORTHINGTON-EVANSI should rather say it meant awarded permanently.