§ 33. Mr. RAMSBOTHAMasked the Minister of Pensions how many pension cases outside the seven years' limit have been brought to his notice since the official statement on Government policy with regard to this limit; how many have been allowed how may are old cases; how many of these latter have been refused in spite of furnishing fresh medical evidence; and in how many cases the private doctors concerned disagreed with the findings of the Ministry's medical board?
§ Mr. PARKINSON (Lord of the Treasury)In the absence of my right hon. Friend, the Minister of Pensions, on official duties, I have been asked to reply. During this period, I am informed, some 9,500 fresh applications have been received and about 2,500 applications have been revived. Altogether 227 claims have been recognised by the Ministry during the same period, either by way of pension or treatment, though naturally it has not yet been possible to investigate more than a proportion of the recent applications. I understand that the records of the Ministry do not enable the information asked for in the last two parts of the question to be given, but that in the majority of cases no fresh material medical evidence has 2621 ordinarily been produced in support of revived claims.
§ Mr. RAMSBOTHAMCan the hon. Member say in what respect the policy of the present Government varies from that of their predecessors?