§ 5 and 6. Mr. T. WILLIAMSasked the Minister of Pensions (1) the names of the special committee at Newcastle who are charged with the duty of dealing with cases of forfeiture of widows' pensions on the grounds of alleged misconduct; and will he state how many such committees exist in Great Britain;
(2)how information is obtained of alleged misconduct of widows on which decisions of the special committees are based?
§ Major TRYONI think the hon. Member must be under some misapprehension as regards the special committee in Newcastle to which he refers. Under the Naval and Military War Pensions, etc., Act, 1915, as amended by the Naval and Military War Pensions, etc. (Transfer of Powers) Act, 1917, the responsibility for deciding whether the pension granted to a widow in respect of the death of her husband in the great War has become forfeited, rests on the Special Grants Committee. The Special Grants Committee make inquiries in cases of this kind through various channels, including the police authorities, and it is the function of the War Pensions Committee to interview the widow, inform her of the complaints against her conduct, obtain her answer to those complaints, and generally to assist her in putting forward her case to the Special Grants Committee.
§ Mr. WILLIAMS:Is the Minister aware that there are cases on record where no complaint has been lodged and where the only incident has been that a lady visitor called and disagreed with the forfeiture of the pensions; yet notwithstanding her report, the pensions have been forfeited, leaving widows with four children helpless?
§ Major TRYON:I shall be glad to consider a case of that kind, but the hon. Member wrote to me about a case, and I 1108 am bound to say that facts which he gave me in his letter confirmed me in my opinion as to the justice of the decision arrived at.
§ Mr. WILLIAMSWill the right hon. and gallant Gentleman agree that misconduct which happened four years ago justifies the Special Grants Committee in depriving these widows of their pensions and the children of their support?
§ Major TRYON:The case mentioned by the hon. Member—and it is not an isolated case—is one in which there were two illegitimate children.
§ Mr. WILLIAMSIs it not the case that it is four years since the misconduct happened and not a word was ever said to the widow and it is only now they have taken away her pension when the children need more assistance than hitherto.
§ Major TRYONI understand that we are not dealing with the question of the children but of the widows. I do not think the hon. Member realises how strong the feeling is among ex-service men against granting pensions to widows who misbehave themselves in a notorious and flagrant manner.
12. Mr. ROBINSONasked the Minister of Pensions whether he will consider the desirability of amending the Royal Warrant so that the widows of other ranks may have the option of drawing a gratuity on re-marriage or being eligible for the re-issue of pension in the event of the second husband dying, as is the case with the widows of officers?
§ Major TRYONI regret that I am unable to accept this proposal. Officers' widows have no option as between restoration of pension and a re-marriage gratuity. No gratuity is paid to an officer s widow who remarries but in certain cases, pension may be restored in whole or in part if "pecuniary circumstances justify this course. "In the corresponding cases of men's widows, there is no provision for restoration of pension but a gratuity is paid on re-marriage. This difference in practice was upheld by the Select Committee who considered the matter.