§ 1. Mr. HAYESasked the Minister of Pensions whether he is aware that employés of the London, Midland and Scottish Railway Company, who may be in receipt of salary during sickness, are called upon by the Ministry of Pensions to forfeit war pensions on admittance to the Ministry hospital for treatment of war disability, thus making them pay for their own treatment; and whether he will undertake to stop this practice of taking advantage of conditions of private service which exist independent of any war service consideration?
§ The MINISTER of PENSIONS (Major Tryon)In any case where in-patient treatment carrying eligibility for allowances is given by the Ministry, it is a standing requirement of the Royal Warrant that pension is suspended for the period of treatment, and any allowances payable are subject to reduction by a sum not exceeding 19s. in respect of the cost of the pensioner's maintenance in the institution. With regard to the last part of the question, I would point out that eligibility for allowances under the Warrant is conditioned by the pensioner being found to be unable, in consequence of undergoing treatment, to provide for the support of himself and his family and that it is, therefore, and has always been, a condition of the grant of these allowances that the amount thereof is offset by any sums received from an employer by way of salary during sickness.
§ Mr. HAYESIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that, if this man went into an ordinary hospital, he would be entitled to retain his 8s. a week life pension and still be in receipt of the income from the company that he receives while he is sick?
§ Major TRYONMay I point out without discourtesy that the hon. Member 517 mentioned no name whatever in the question, and it is not fair to raise an individual case on a question that is really general. Do I understand that the hon. Member has referred to the case of Robbins?
§ Mr. HAYESAs a matter of fact, I was anxious to avoid personal cases, and I have only raised the case of the principle. If the question is to be examined, it will be found that in the case of Robbins it is well expressed.
§ Major TRYONIn the case of Bobbins, to which the hon. Member has now referred, the position is that, instead of a pension of 11s., he is getting his keep and housing in hospital, which is always estimated at 19s., and furthermore he is getting £3 15s. from the railway company.
§ Mr. HAYESIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that this man's life pension, which he would expect, in view of the award, would be available for the rest of his life, has now been deducted, which will leave him with that much loss of his general income when he comes out of hospital?
§ Major TRYONNo, the loss does not occur when he comes out of hospital. The point is that while he is in hospital he is obviously better off than he was before.
§ Mr. HAYESCannot there be some review of those questions in which income from private sources is set off against a man's pension when he is being treated for war disability?
§ Major TRYONNo, because the treatment allowance is a compensation for what he has lost.
§ Mr. SPEAKERI do not see how we can ever get through Questions if we have a large number of supplementaries on every single question.