§ 9. Mr. JARRETTasked the Minister of Pensions whether he will state the estimated cost to the Ministry of the appeals by friends of the 700 ex-service men now or recently in asylums and chargeable to the local guardians of the poor; and whether, seeing that the cost of present- 1968 ing the cases of these unfortunate men before the appeal tribunals is an unnecessary public expense, he will, in the case of mentally deficient men received into the Service by mistake and retained even for a short time, agree that the responsibility for the error should be accepted by the Ministry of Pensions and not transferred to local guardians of the poor?
§ Major TRYONI regret that I am not in a position to give the information asked for in the first part of the question. For the reasons already stated in the reply which I gave to the hon. Member for Nottingham West on the 28th November, I do not see my way to accept the suggestion in the last part of the question.
§ 24. Mr. F. ROBERTSasked the Minister of Pensions whether his decision to continue treatment to the 700 ex-service men who have become chargeable to the Poor Law as paupers, until the Tribunal have given their decision, includes the payment of allowances to wives and children on the usual scale: and whether this decision will have effect as from the date on which it was first decided to allow these ex-service men to become pauper patients?
§ Major TRYONThe answer to both parts of the question is in the affirmative.
§ 32. Mr. MARDY JONESasked the Minister of Pensions whether he can see his way to supply the names of the civil and Army practitioners who passed for enlistment, during the late War, men who have since been certified as insane and who are now treated as pauper lunatics?
§ The FINANCIAL SECRETARY to the WAR OFFICE (Lieut.-Colonel Jackson)I have been asked to answer this question. I am afraid no records are available which would enable me to give the hon. Member the information for which he asks.
§ Mr. JONESIs it not a fact that such cases were passed for enlistment and afterwards certified as insane? Would it not be as well to inquire into the whole question?
§ Lieut.-Colonel JACKSONI am afraid that there are no records available.
§ Mr. LANSBURYWould it be possible to obtain them from the Ministry of Health?
46. Mr. JARRETasked the Prime Minister whether any protests have been received by him from local war pensions committees against the attitude of the Government in placing mentally deficient ex-service men on the Poor Law guardians, and the number of protests so received?
§ The PRIME MINISTER (Mr. Bonar Law)As far as I am aware, I have received one protest. The Ministry of Pensions has, I am informed, received eight.