§ 1. Mr. T. WILLIAMSasked the Minister of Pensions if he is aware that Ernest Herbert Langfield, deceased, who 1734 served seven years and 175 days in the Army prior to 1914, again joined up on 1st October, 1914, and was transferred to the Army Reserve on 13th January, 1919; that he was suffering from malaria when demobilised, but endeavoured to carry on without a pension until he broke down in health; that later he applied for a pension under Article 9, but this was still undecided when the man died at the, coal face on 12th January, 1920 that the coroner's certificate is signed cause of death syncope following malaria; and that an appeal to the Pensions Tribunal by the widow on 22nd September, 1921, was rejected, because the man remained at his post and was demobilised without complaining of malaria; and, in view of the fact that the family are dependent on Poor Law relief, will he have the case reconsidered in the light of medical evidence and the coroner's certificate?
§ The MINISTER of PENSIONS (Major Tryon)This widow's claim to pension was very fully and carefully considered, but the Ministry were unable to regard the cause of death as connected with service. That decision has been confirmed on appeal by the independent Pensions Appeal Tribunal, who had before them all the available evidence, and is now, therefore, final.
§ Mr. WILLIAMSIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that all the medical evidence justifies the belief that the death was actually due to war service and since the coroner's certificate supplements that view, does he not think that when a doubt exists, the widow and children should get the benefit of it?
§ Major TRYONClearly if there is any doubt, the benefit of it should be given to them but this case has been considered by an independent body and decided. I will go into it personally, but I must- say, in view of the decision of the Appeals Tribunal, I am afraid it is not possible to do anything.
§ Mr. G. A. SPENCERIs there not, a great conflict of evidence between the medical referees and the local practitioners who are in constant attendance on these men?
§ Mr. WILLIAMSIs it a fact that from the time of this mart's application for pension until the day of his death, no medical evidence whatever was in the 1735 hands of the Ministry and the only medical evidence available was evidence which justified the view that death was due to war service?
§ Major TRYONI should be happy to see the hon. Member about the case afterwards, but I am bound to point out that I am not hopeful of doing anything, in view of the decision I have just mentioned.
§ 22. Mr. LEACHasked the Minister of Pensions if he will examine the case of Mrs. Bedford, of 59, Thurnscoe Road, Bradford, widow of the late Horace Bedford, No. 25,646, Durham Light Infantry; is he aware that Bedford, who had had 21 years' service with his regiment before the War, re-enlisted at 42 on 3rd September, 1914, and was sent to France, classed Al, developed deafness and heart trouble from shell-shock, and was discharged on 4th April, 1917, with a pension; that his nerves were so shattered that he could not resume his work as a commissionaire, and that his mental faculties were so unstrung that he finally committed suicide on 7th July, 1920; that, notwithstanding a certificate from Dr. M'Culloch, of 1, Hallfield Road, Bradford, that his mental and physical condition was the result of his war service, and that his widow holds his discharge certificate which says he served with honour and was disabled in the Great War, the Pensions Office at Westminster has informed Mrs. Bedford, 1st January, 1923, that the cause of her husband's death was not connected with his military service, and that the pension was stopped at the time of his death?
§ Major TRYONAfter full consideration of all the circumstances, the Ministry were unable to regard the cause of the late soldier's death as being connected with his service or with the ear trouble for which he was receiving pension, and that decision, having been confirmed, on appeal, by the Pensions Appeal Tribunal, is final.
§ Mr. LEACHWill the right hon. Gentleman not look at this man's disablement discharge document, upon which, on the authority of His Majesty the King, it is stated that his disablement is due to his war service, and does that not in itself constitute sufficient evidence to account for the state of mind and for the untimely death of this man?
§ Major TRYONI shall be happy, if the hon. Member will come to me afterwards, to show him the actual reason for this man's death, and the evidence at the inquest. I would prefer not to give it to the House, but I am prepared to do so if necessary.
§ Mr. LEACHWould it be regarded as evidence if the certificate and opinion of the man's doctor were handed in?
§ Major TRYONAll evidence is taken into account, but I have seen the account of the inquest, and I can see no connection whatever between the original trouble and the actual reason on account of which this man committed suicide.