§ 24. Mr. LUMLEYasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty if he is aware that Mr. Stead, ex-able-seaman in the Royal Navy, No. J 43,310, who served through the late War and up till recently in the Royal Navy, has been discharged as unfit from defective vision; that the Royal Hospital, Chelsea, considers that, in spite of his service, his disability is neither due to nor aggravated by it; and will he endeavour to have his case reconsidered by the Royal Hospital, or, in view of his war service, by the Ministry of Pensions?
§ Mr. AMMONAs this question deals with an individual case I will, with the hon. Member's permission, circulate the reply in the OFFICIAL EEPORT.
§ The reply is as follows:
§ This case has been carefully considered by the naval medical authorities, and I regret that it cannot be accepted that Mr. Stead's disability is either due to or aggravated by service conditions. I understand, however, that if he claims that his disability is due to war service he has the right of appeal to the Ministry of Pensions. The allusion to the Royal Hospital, Chelsea, which has no jurisdiction in the matter, appears to be an error for the Royal Naval Hospital, Chatham, where the man was surveyed prior to invaliding.