§ 5. Mr. MACLEANasked the Minister of Pensions whether he is aware that Private J. J. Welsh, late No. 383,325, Highland Light Infantry, of 71, Hamilton Street, Govan, has been offered a lump sum payment in lieu of pension; that the decision of the final board in the joint assessment of his pensionable injuries is over 20 per cent.; whether he is aware that one of his claims was for injury to head and arm caused by the butt of a rifle when a prisoner of war in Germany; that the medical referee on 23rd May, 1919, estimated his incapacity from this disablement at 100 per cent., and that on 31st July, 1925, the Pensions (Entitlement) Appeals Tribunal decided that the injury to head was neither attributable to, nor aggravated by, war service; and whether, in view of these contradictions, he will have this man's case further reviewed?
§ Major TRYONI fear that the hon. Member has been misinformed as to the facts in this case. It is not a fact that Mr. Welsh has been offered a lump sum payment in lieu of pension. The lump sum paid to him is the terminal gratuity following on a period of allowance awarded in accordance with the decision of the Ministry and of the Appeal Tribunal. Nor is it the case that the decision of the final board in the joint assessment of his pensionable disability was ever 20 per cent. The fact is that Mr. Welsh has claimed for a variety of injuries and ailments since his discharge in 1919, each of which has been dealt with fully by the Ministry and by the Appeal Tribunals. As the history of the case is a long one, I propose to communicate the full particulars to the hon. Member in writing. I may add that I am not 1883 aware of any grounds on which I could adopt the course suggested in the last part of the question.
§ Mr. MACLEANI want to thank the right hon. Gentleman for his promise to send me the history of the case. I have also the history of the case, and is it not a fact that these items are put down as having been decided by the various tribunals and committees before which this man appeared?
§ Major TRYONIf all the questions -which have been raised by the hon. Member have been decided by the tribunal, it is obvious that I cannot take any further action. I shall, however, go carefully into the points raised by the hon. Member, and I will communicate with him.
§ Mr. MACLEANAre not these items as to what the man has suffered and the assessments which have been made in the history of the case
§ Major TRYONThe points where the hon. Member has fallen into error in his original question are set out in the reply which I have given.