§ 18. Mr. R. MORRISONasked the Minister of Pensions whether he is aware that Mr. M. R. Moss, 18, Fryatt Road, Tottenham, has been in receipt of a pension for tuberculosis of the lungs attributed since 1915, and that his papers have recently been altered to aggravated on the plea that the Ministry made a clerical error in 1915, which has been continued until recently; and, in view of the fact that the man was not responsible for the error and the difficulty of establishing his claim after the lapse of so many years, will he reconsider the case and allow the decision of attributable to remain?
§ Major TRYONNo Sir. This man's disability has always been regarded by the Ministry as only aggravated by service, and no change of entitlement has ever been made.
§ Mr. MORRISONIs the right hon. Gentleman aware of the statement made by his own Department, that the man has been paid for years on "attributed" and not "aggravated" at all?
§ Major TRYONMy information is not to that effect. I understand that we called his attention to the fact that his case was classed as "aggravated," so that he might exercise his right of appeal. The man is, I understand, on 100 per cent. basis, so that at present it makes no difference in any way.
§ Mr. MORRISONIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that the man's attention was not called to this change in his position until later on, and that the Ministry itself admitted that it was a clerical error? Why deny it?
§ Major TRYONI am not denying it. The hon. Member is not entitled to make that statement. I am giving the facts as they were given to me this morning. I understand that the object of communicating with the man was to give him a chance of exercising his right of appeal which might otherwise lapse.
§ Mr. MORRISONSeeing that the man has been in receipt of 100 per cent. pension for six years "attributed," is it fair to put the onus on the man now?
§ Major TRYONI think that the hon. Member genuinely misunderstand the position. The man is in receipt of full treatment allowance and pension. His health is very bad. It was merely to give him a chance of appeal that he was given the information. Unfortunately his health is bad, and I cannot imagine that it will make any difference.
§ Sir H. BRITTAINDid you, Sir, not give a ruling some time ago on the subject of individual cases being put to Ministers, from the point of view of saving the time of the House?
§ Mr. SPEAKERI declined to give a ruling.
§ Sir H. BRITTAINYou made a suggestion?
§ Mr. SPEAKERI made the suggestion that Members might make more use of the unstarred questions.