3. Mr. TREVELYAN THOMSONasked the Minister of Pensions if, in those cases where over-payments have been made to pensioners through errors, clerical or otherwise, on the part of the Ministry of Pensions or some other Government Department, and for which the pensioner or his dependants are in no way responsible, he will see that such overpayments are not deducted from the amount of the pensions which have been duly awarded?
§ Major TRYONI have no power to pay pensions or allowances at rates in excess of those authorised by the Royal Warrants and recovery of over-payments is a principle of administration common to the whole public service. In every ease, however, the most careful consideration is given to the individual circumstances of the case, and where it is clear that the over-payment was one of which the pensioner could not have been aware, and hardship would be involved, recovery may be waived.
§ Mr. LAWSONIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that several legal decisions have been given against the recovery of excess payments to ex-soldiers, particularly in the case of officers, and will he take steps to have regulations, by Royal Warrant, if necessary, to bring himself into line with such legal decisions.
§ Major TRYONI am not prepared to maintain that money that has been wrongly paid from the taxpayer to people who are not entitled to it should not be recovered, but we have placed a limit on the distance that we can go back, a recent concession which is to the advantage of the pensioners.
§ Mr. MACPHERSONIs it not a fact that no recovery is made in any case beyond a year?
§ Major TRYONThat is the concession which has been recently made, greatly to the advantage of the pensioners.
§ Mr. LAWSONIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that it sometimes takes these pensioners more than a year to repay the moneys that are asked from them?
§ Major TRYONWe do not now go back beyond a year, except in cases where a man has obtained some money by misleading the Pensions Ministry, a case which I am glad to say is rare.