§ 3. Major McKENZIE WOODasked the Minister of Pensions whether his attention has been called to the operation of Article 23 of the Royal Warrant on Pensions, whereby a pension granted to a mother in respect of her deceased son is cancelled when, on the death of her husband, she marries a second time; and whether, seeing that the basis of the grant to a mother in such circumstances is the contingent legal liability resting upon a son to support his mother and that this liability is unaffected by the death of one husband and the marriage to a second, he will take steps to have the warrant amended so as to make it possible to grant a pension to any woman who has lost a son in the War and is in necessitous circumstances?
§ Major TRYONIn cases of remarriage, whether of dependants or of widows, a gratuity is awarded to the pensioner in final discharge of the claim. I am not prepared to adopt the suggestion in the last part of the question. Such a course would result in placing the dependant in a better position than the widow.
§ Major WOODWould the right hon. Gentleman say what change has actually taken place in the position of the mother by her marriage to a second husband?
§ Major TRYONIn the second case she would be married to a man, and in the first case she would not be married.
§ Major WOODIs not the legal liability the same? Does not this contingent liability remain?
§ Mr. MACPHERSONWould not the right hon. Gentleman consider, looking once again into the question whether, if a mother dependent upon a son were, after remarriage, to fall again into necessitous circumstances, her case might be met?
§ Major TRYONMy right hon. Friend will realise the difficulties, but I will certainly consider that point.
§ 12. Mr. OLIVERasked the Minister of Pensions whether his attention has been called to the case of the widowed mother of the late Sergeant Harry Battison, No. 266,580, 1st Sherwoods, Notts and Derby Regiment, whose allowance of 15s. per week has been reduced to 8s. 11d.; on what grounds such reduction has been made; and whether he can take any steps to award more than 8s. 11d. to a mother whose main support has been killed in the War?
§ Major TRYONThe local pension committee assessed household dependence for separation allowance purposes at 12s. 6d. a week, and this assessment was upheld by the War Office Appeals Committee. When pension was claimed, the dependence of both parents was assessed at 15s. a week. As, however, the father died before pension was granted, the award should clearly have been limited to the mother's share of the dependence, and this has now been done.
§ 20. Mr. SHORTasked the Minister of Pensions whether he is aware that the recent application of Mrs. E. Yates, 3, 2544 New Buildings, Meeting Street, Wednesbury, mother of the late G. H. Yates, No. 407,787, for a pension was refused on the ground that she was not infirm; and whether, seeing that she is nearly 50 years of age, and that she has been unable to secure employment for a period of two years, he will take steps to see that her right to a pension is duly acknowledged?
§ Major TRYONThe applicant did not claim to satisfy the conditions of incapacity for self support laid down by the Royal Warrant. Indeed, when she applied for pension she was, in fact, in receipt of unemployment benefit. Should, however, the circumstances of the case alter, so as to render her eligible for pension, a renewed application will receive full consideration.
§ Mr. SHORTDoes the right hon. Gentleman think a mother ought to be compelled to go out to work if she is able before she can establish her right to a pension, and will he go into the matter of general principle?
§ Major TRYONNo, I think the principle of larger pensions on the ground of need, rather than lower pensions on a flat-rate, is, on the whole, to the advantage of the poorer section of the applicants.