§ 1. Mr. R. MORRISONasked the Minister of Pensions whether his attention has been drawn to the inquest held at Walthamstow on the 18th instant, on the body of Christopher Sands, an ex-service man, and to the statement made by the coroner that the evidence showed that the man contracted consumption during the War, went to a sanatorium in 1922, and, when he left, applied for a pension which was refused; that he and his wife and child existed on parish relief because he could not get work and was incapable of working even if he had a job; and can he state for what reason the pension was refused?
§ The MINISTER of PENSIONS (Major Tryon)I have inquired into the facts of this case and I find that the late soldier, who was demobilised in February, 1919, made no application for pension until some three years later in March, 1922. I do not know what led the coroner to express the opinion reported in the Press, as no evidence was produced by the man that would support the view that his disability was contracted during service. In fact, the Ministry were unable to find any medical history of the disease of a date earlier than October, 1921. The claim to pension was rejected by the Ministry on the ground that the tuberculosis was neither due to nor worsened by service, and that decision was subsequently confirmed, on appeal, by the independent Pensions Appeal Tribunal.
§ Mr. MORRISONMay I take it that the statement of the coroner was not true?
§ Major TRYONThe answer I gave was that the opinion expressed by the Coroner was not supported by evidence.
§ Mr. MORRISONIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that there is more dissatisfaction over this type of case than any other?
§ Major TRYONI am quite aware of the dissatisfaction, and I know some of the causes; but I know that this House decided that we should not finally decide these questions, and that they should be settled by an independent tribunal.
§ Mr. LANSBURYCan the right hon. Gentleman tell us whether this man served overseas?
§ Major TRYONNot without notice.