§ 51. Major COHENasked the Prime Minister whether he intends taking any action with regard to the petition presented to this House on the 29th July by the hon. Member for Fairfield: and, if so, what that action may be?
§ The PRIME MINISTER (Mr. Baldwin)The Government have carefully considered the proposals made in the petition referred to, but they are not prepared to adopt the serious and fundamental changes in the Acts of Parliament and Royal Warrants which would be involved. In the view of the Government the administrative measures which, as my right hon. and gallant Friend the Minister of Pensions indicated in the Debate on the Vote for his Department on the 26th May last, were being taken to deal with the comparatively few exceptional cases of the kind referred to in the petition—measures of which, unfortunately, the signatories of the petition do not appear to have been aware—are adequate to meet the requirements of the case. I may add that I understand that the British Legion, in connection with a deputation which included my hon. and gallant Friend, recently submitted to the Minister of Pensions certain points connected with the matters dealt with in the petition, and these will be duly considered.