§ 24. Mr. MARCUSasked the Minister of Pensions if he is aware of the hardship caused by the granting of final awards in cases of recurrent disability, such as neurasthenia, gas-poisoning, malaria, and others; and if he is prepared to grant further consideration to ex-service men whose disability may recur 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 the duration of a man's illness which is directly due to one of the recurrent disabilities mentioned?
Mr. ROBERTSA final award is not, under the statutory regulations, made until the man's condition is reasonably stable, each case being considered on its merits and in the light of expert opinion as to the particular ailment or disease. In any event the man has a right of appeal for a year to an independent Appeal Tribunal. If a condition due to war service subsequently 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, a final award should be found to have been seriously erroneous as an assessment for permanent purposes, a further grant of pension can be made under special sanction.