§ 6. Mr. ARTHUR GREENWOODasked the Minister of Pensions how many final awards were made during the 12 months ending 31st March, 1923; in how many cases men in receipt of conditional pensions were given final weekly allowances; whether any of these men were suffering from permanent deterioration as a result of War service; if so, whether the final weekly allowance was based on an actuarial assessment of the amount a man would have received had he been in receipt of a small pension for the rest of his life; and whether any reduction and, if so, what has been effected in the cost of pensions in the cases of men who have been given final awards?
§ Major TRYONThe total number of awards declared to be final during the period referred to was approximately 638 246,000. In about 128,000 of the cases in which the final award was at the rate of less than 20 per cent. the men were previously in receipt of a conditional pension. I am unable to say in what proportion of these cases the disability was permanent, but in only a minority of cases (amounting to not more than one-third) of the whole number was the disability certified to be of indeterminate duration, and in most of these cases the disability was a minor injury in a final and stationary condition. The answer to the fourth part of the question is in the negative. Compensation by way of pension is only payable under the Warrants and Regulations for disablement at the rate of 20 per cent. and upwards. For minor disablement below 20 per cent. the aggregate amount of compensation that may be paid is limited, under the provision of the Warrants, to £200.
Lieut.-Colonel WATTS-MORGANWill the right hon. Gentleman say what is the reduction effected in the cost with regard to final awards, as asked in the last part of the question on the Paper?
§ Major TRYONIt is not possible to give that. In some individual cases there is a saving, and in some cases the expenditure is larger.
Lieut.-Colonel WATTS-MORGANWill the right hon. Gentleman give the net result, whether it is a loss or a gain?
§ Major TRYONThere is no net result of loss or gain, but simply a considerable payment of money from the public purse under the provisions of the warrants.
Lieut.-Colonel WATTS-MORGANBut has not a direct question been asked in the fifth paragraph of the question on the Paper, namely, what is the effect on the cost of pensions in the cases of men who have been given final awards?
§ Major TRYONI cannot agree that there is a saving. In some cases there is a saving, and in others there is additional expenditure.
§ 40. Mr. LOWTHasked the Minister of Pensions what is the number of final awards in four-year cases made during the 12 months ending 31st December, 1922; what was the number of conditional pensions that, on the award being made final, were replaced by a final weekly 639 allowance and what was the average period for which final weekly allowances were awarded?
§ Major TRYONThe total number of men examined and recommended for final awards in four-year cases during the year referred to was 54,600. The number of these cases which were at the rate of 20 per cent. or upwards and under 20 per cent., respectively, was not at the outset specially recorded, but for the period for which a record was kept of the numbers of each of the two classes recommended by medical boards, recommendations in favour of permanent pensions were in the proportion of six to four recommendations for awards of less than 20 per cent. The proportion of the former class shows a steady increase. In addition to these some 64,000 permanent pensions were made statutory final, and a great proportion of these are four-year cases. The average duration of final weekly allowances is about 80 weeks.