§ 13. Lieut.-Commander KENWORTHYasked the Minister of Pensions if he is aware of the hardship caused by the granting of final awards in cases of recurrent disability, namely neurasthenia, gas poisoning, and malaria, amongst others; and if he is prepared to grant further consideration to ex-service men whose disability may break out again at any time after their final award is finished with a view to awarding them either treatment with full allowances over a certain period or a further award of pension, conditional on how long a man's illness may last which is directly due to one of the recurrent disabilities mentioned?
The PARLIAMENTARY SECRETARY to the MINISTRY of PENSIONS (Lieut.-Colonel Stanley)The Statutory 93 Regulations require that a final award shall not be made until the condition is reasonably stable and I am not aware that hardship has been caused in any class of case by the granting of final awards, whether of life pension or other form of compensation. Each case is considered on its merits and, in any event, the man has a right of appeal to an independent Tribunal. If a condition due to war service calls for treatment, it can be provided, and allowances can also be paid where they are justified, notwithstanding that a final award may have been made. If as a result of such treatment the final award is found to have been seriously erroneous as an assessment for permanent purposes a further grant of pension can be made under special sanction.
§ Lieut.-Commander KENWORTHYWill the right hon. and gallant Member consider that, in connection with these admittedly recurrent diseases, no final award should be made?
Lieut.-Colonel STANLEYWe do not make a final award until the state of the man is reasonably stable. If there is any likelihood of the illness getting worse, we take that into consideration.