§ 4. Sir ROBERT NEWMANasked the Minister of Pensions whether, under the regulations of the Special Grants Committee, supplementary pensions and allowances can only be granted to non-relatives in charge of orphans or neglected children of deceased ex-service men; and, if so, whether the regulations can be amended in order that the same benefits may also be granted to relatives in cases where the Local War Pensions Committees consider it would be in the interest of the children that this should be done?
§ Colonel GIBBSSpecial rates of pension are payable under the warrant in respect of all motherless children, whether in the care of relatives or of strangers. Under the War Pensions (Administrative Provisions) Act, 1918, children of deceased soldiers who are suffering from neglect are placed under the care of the Minister, and in order that he may be able to give them the medical or other special attention that they need, and at the same time secure suitable foster-parents for them, certain supplementary grants are made available for their benefit under regulations administered by the Special Grants Committee. It is not possible to extend these regulations to motherless children generally, for whom the special rates of pension payable under the warrant are considered to be adequate.