§ 11. Mr. F. ROBERTSasked the Minister of Pensions whether he can state the grounds on which it was decided to stop allowances for special diet for ex-service men while under treatment 864 for tuberculosis; how many of these men were receiving extra nourishment in the month of November, 1921, and in the same month of 1922; and what is the annual saving effected by this change?
§ Major TRYONThe provision of special diet was introduced to meet abnormal conditions in regard to food supply which no longer obtain, and at a time when the pension and allowance scales were on an average only half their present rates. It is not the case that special diet in cases of tuberculosis is no longer given. An extra allowance is still granted in cases of pulmonary tuberculosis (whether the man is under treatment or not) where the circumstances justify the concession. The amount granted for special diet to tuberculous pensioners during the month of September last (the latest date for which figures are available) was about £3,000 as compared with £11,000 a year ago.