§ 33. Captain FULLERasked the Minister of Pensions whether he will consult with the British Legion with a view to introducing fresh legislation to ensure men disabled in the service of their country every opportunity of establishing their claim to pension, and to give rejected applicants the right of appeal to an independent tribunal against decisions of the Ministry?
§ The MINISTER of PENSIONS (Major Tryon)No, Sir. Arrangements have for some years been in operation for dealing with late claims for disablement which secure full opportunity to any disabled man, who has not previously done so, to establish his claim. These arrangements constitute in the view both of the present Government and their predecessors the preferable method in the interests of ex-service men of determining the few genuine cases of disablement by Great War service which can be brought forward for the first time at this late date more than 14 years after the end of the War.
§ Captain FULLERIs not the right hon. and gallant Gentleman aware that there is rather an increasing number of ex-service men whose pensions have ceased on the conclusion of the final award, whose disability on account of War service continues, and who have absolutely no redress as a consequence; and does he not consider it desirable in the interests of justice that he should ask for increased 836 powers from the House to enable the State to shoulder its responsibilities to these men?
§ Major TRYONNo. Sir. A final award, unless it is under 20 per cent., is an award which does not cease, but which goes on for the whole of the man's life.
§ Mr. LOGANDoes not the right hon. and gallant Gentleman think, from representations which have been made from time to time, that action should be brought about for these eases to be reviewed?
§ Major TRYONWhich cases?
§ Mr. LOGANThe cases which are mentioned here in regard to final certificates where the awards ought to have been continued to the dependants.
§ Major TRYONI do not recognise the terms used by the hon. Member, but if the hon. Member is referring to the Welcome System of final awards, that is a system which has conferred great benefits on the whole of the ex-service men's community by the security which ex-service men get from it, and I was responsible for starting the policy which was adopted by the late Government in which, in cases where men become seriously and permanently worse, increases can be given.
§ Captain FULLERHas my right hon. and gallant Friend seen the article in this month's issue of the British Legion Journal," in which a number of allegations in regard to this matter are made, and does he accept the statements therein made?
§ Major TRYONI am very sorry that the hon. and gallant Member should have brought in the British Legion, but I am bound to answer owing to his asking that question. In their official journal for March and April, credit is claimed for the British Legion for almost all that is good in the history of this Ministry, and it is said that they have only obtained concessions, after bitter struggles, from an unwilling hand. As far as I am concerned, the late Chancellor of the Exchequer the right hon. Gentleman the Member for Epping (Mr. Churchill), paid a most generous tribute to me, saying that it was directly due to me that stabilisation was brought about, and that I had earnestly desired 837 it, and pressed for it. The more general charge of the "British Legion Journal" against successive Governments, and against this House as a whole, is not only untrue but is completely refuted by the repeated assertions of the leaders of the British Legion itself.
§ Captain FULLERI am very glad to hear that. I did not accept the allegation. Are we to understand that the allegations in the "British Legion Journal" are not correct?
§ Major TRYONThe assertions in the "British Legion Journal" are not only untrue, but the responsible leaders of the British Legion know that they are untrue.