4. Mr. TREVELYAN THOMSONasked the Minister of Pensions whether he is satisfied that in all cases pensioners or their dependants are capable, of adequately presenting their cases before the Appeals Tribunal; and, if not, will he take the necessary steps to authorise local pension committees to pay the railway fare of any one who is prepared to assist an appellant in stating their case?
Lieut.-Colonel STANLEYPerhaps I may be allowed to refer the hon. Member to the answer given by me to him on the same subject on the 18th December last, of which I am sending him a copy.
Mr. THOMSONIf I draw the hon. and gallant Gentleman's attention to cases of real hardship, will he revise the decision he gave last December?
Lieut.-Colonel STANLEYAs I pointed out last December, this is entirely a question for the Lord Chancellor. They are not Tinder the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Pensions at all, and we have no authority over them whatsoever.
Mr. THOMSONIs the hon. and gallant Gentleman aware that previous Ministers of Pensions have authorised the payment of these expenses to witnesses, and is it not in the power of the Minister to sanction the payment of expenses?
Lieut.-Colonel STANLEYNo. As I told the hon. Member on 18th December, the tribunal has the discretion to summon before it expert and other witnesses, and to pay their expenses. That is under the jurisdiction of the tribunal and not of the Ministry of Pensions.
§ Captain BOWYERWill my hon. and gallant Friend recommend on behalf of the Ministry that an exception should be made according to the terms of this question in the case of men suffering from neurasthenia and mental diseases, and will he make representations to the Lord Chancellor?
§ 8. Mr. ROBERT MORRISONasked the Minister of Pensions whether his attention has been darwn to the dissatisfaction felt at the adverse decision in the case of Councillor Henry Barnes, who is suffering from functional paralysis and is completely incapacitated from doing any kind of work; and, in view of the fact that a Harley Street specialist certified that Barnes' trouble was brought about by his war wounds, will he have further inquiries made and reconsider this case?
Lieut.-Colonel STANLEYThis case has received very full and careful consideration, but I regret that it has not been found possible to regard the disability claimed as being connected with the wound or with service. Mr. Barnes has a statutory right of appeal, of which he is taking advantage, and the case will be heard by the appeal tribunal in due course.
§ 9. Mr. PIELOUasked the Minister of Pensions the number of appeals made to the assessment appeals tribunals from 1st January to 31st December, 1924, showing the number allowed by the tribunals and the number disallowed?
Lieut.-Colonel STANLEYDuring the period referred to, 35,390 appeals were decided by the assessment appeal tribunals, thus giving a proportion (excluding statutory final awards) of approximately one appeal out of every seven cases of final award notified. In 13,560 cases, either the appeal was disallowed or the Ministry's assessment was reduced, or the appeal was not proceeded with by the appellant. In 11,360 cases, the finality of 609 the award was confirmed, though the assessment was raised, and in 10,470 cases the appellant succeeded to the extent that the tribunal decided that the cases were not yet suitable for final award.