§ 3. Mr. LOOKERasked the Minister of Pensions if his attention has been drawn to the case of Albert Edward Thomas, late rifleman, No. R/13,658, King's Royal Rifle Corps, who enlisted in 1914; was wounded by shrapnel in his right forearm on 15th July, 1916; developed psoriasis round the wound and in the head in August, 1916; was treated for 2086 this disease in military hospitals and returned to France in 1917; was taken prisoner on 10th July, 1917, and remained a prisoner in Bayreuth camp till 1918, where the disease re-appeared without his being able to get treatment for it; was sent to a skin disease hospital on demobilisation and treated for psoriasis; was discharged in April, 1919, better but not completely cured; was treated again for the disease from September to November, 1921, and was discharged apparently cured; whether he is aware that the disease broke out again a month after his discharge and now extends to his whole body, but a pension has been refused on the ground that the disease was not due to or aggravated by military service; and whether, in view of the fact that he was passed fit into the Army and constantly treated for the disease while in the Army and after discharge, and that he is still suffering badly from it, he will reconsider the decision of the Ministry that the disease was not due to or aggravated by military service?
§ Major TRYONAs I have informed my hon. Friend in correspondence with him, all the facts of the case were before both the Ministry and the independent Appeal Tribunal at the time they arrived at their decision. I have since then again most carefully considered with my medical advisers the facts of the case in the light of the further medical certificate furnished by my hon. Friend. I am advised, however, that there is no evidence which enables the man's condition to be certified as due to or aggravated by war service.
§ Mr. LOOKERIn view of the fact that this man has just gone into hospital, where he will be some considerable time to get a cure, is it not possible to grant him some allowance to support his family?
§ Major TRYONIf he is being treated in one of our hospitals on account of war disability, he would be given an allowance. I know my hon. Friend's interest in the case, and I shall be very glad to go into it with him.