§ 38. Mr. JOWETTasked the Minister of Pensions, concerning the unsuccessful application for a War pension of Mrs. Haensler, of 94, Thornbury Drive, Bradford, on account of the death of her husband, who was receiving per week pension for disability due to War service when he died following an abdominal operation, whether, having regard to the facts of the case, which show that Mrs. Haensler's late husband, prior to enlistment, had never drawn sickness benefit, although he was an insured person under the National Health Insurance Acts, and was in good health when he enlisted: 463 that, after he enlisted, he had severe injuries on War service, followed by amputation of one leg and operations on his back; and, having regard also to the opinion of his post-War doctor that debility, following operations, was a predisposing cause of her husband's death, he will reconsider this case with a view to granting a pension to Mrs. Haensler?
§ The MINISTER of PENSIONS (Mr. F. O. Roberts)Mrs. Haensler's claim to pension has been fully considered more than once since her husband's death in January, 1925, following an operation for the relief of intestinal obstruction. Neither the operation itself, which was necessitated by a congenital malformation, nor its unfortunate result can be regarded as having been brought about by the late pensioner's War injuries, and his widow is not therefore entitled to pension. I may add that the widow's claim was considered on appeal by the independent Appeal Tribunal, who, however, confirmed the Ministry's rejection of it.