§ 8. Mr. D. G. SOMERVILLEasked the Minister of Pensions how many cases of insane ex-service in-patients have, within the last six months, been transferred to the pauper class; and how many such cases are under consideration at the present time?
§ Major TRYONThe hon. Member, no doubt, has in mind those cases for whom the temporary responsibility of my Department ceased, under the express terms of the Royal Warrant, on the 30th September last. There has been no change of policy since that date, but 313 appeals to the tribunal have been heard, of which 102 have been successful and 20 remain to be decided.
§ Mr. MACPHERSONWill the right hon. Gentleman assure us that each case has been treated on its merits?
§ Major TRYONThat is so. I am glad to be able to assure the House that all these individual cases have been considered as separate cases on their merits, with a desire to admit them when the evidence allows.
§ Mr. LANSBURYWhat is the total number of transferred cases who remain paupers?
§ Major TRYONThe hon. Member will find that if he works it out from the answer.
§ 11. Mr. COLLISONasked the Minister of Pensions the number of ex-service men now in lunatic asylums who served overseas?
§ Major TRYONThe number of service patients at present in county or borough asylums for whose treatment and maintenance my Department accepts responsibility is 5,800. I regret that I could not say, without very considerable research, what proportion of these cases had overseas service.
§ Mr. COLLISONIs the right hon. Gentleman prepared to say that if there had been no War these men would have been in lunatic asylums?
§ Major TRYONThe only figure I can give to the hon. Member is, that when we examined one particular asylum we found that nearly half of the men whose disability had been accepted as due to military service had not been overseas.
§ Mr. COLLISONIs it not a fact that there are over 700 cases where you refuse to accept responsibility?
§ Major TRYONThere are 700 cases which under the rules laid down by this House we are not allowed to touch.
§ Mr. MACPHERSONIs it not the fact that if a man's disability, insanity or otherwise is due to service, whether overseas or at home, the State recognises responsibility?
§ Major TRYONCertainly. Of these 5,800 men for whom the State has accepted full responsibility a large proportion has never been overseas or seen any fighting at all.
§ Mr. LANSBURYOf the 700 men who are in asylums under the Poor Law guardians, has not a certain proportion served overseas?
§ Major TRYONThat point is not raised in any way in this question.