§ 29. Captain HAROLD BALFOURasked the Minister of Pensions whether he will consider the entire abolition of the seven-years' limit regulations for war pensions or if he intends to continue to rely on the administrative discretion allowed for dealing with these cases in the regulations as at present in force?
§ Mr. PARKINSON (Lord of the Treasury)In the absence of my right hon. Friend the Minister of Pensions, through indisposition, I have been asked to reply. I would refer the hon. and gallant Member to the answer which my right hon. Friend gave to the hon. and gallant Member for Hexham (Colonel Clifton Brown) on 26th November last, of which I am sending him a copy.
§ Captain BALFOURCan the hon. Gentleman say if there is any difference at all between the policy of the present Government and that of the last Government?
§ Mr. PARKINSONThe hon. and gallant Member had better put down another question to the head of the Department.
§ 31. Mr. BEAUMONTasked the Minister of Pensions whether there is any difference in the treatment of the widow of an ex-service man dying more than seven years after discharge and the widow of a man dying within that period; and, if so, whether he proposes to make any alterations to bring the two cases into line?
§ Mr. PARKINSONThe terms on which pension may be granted in the two types of cases referred to are, contained in Articles 11 and 17, respectively, of the Royal Warrant of December, 1919, as amended by the Royal Warrant of 1924. I am sending the hon. Member copies for convenience of reference. No alteration in these Articles is in contemplation.