§ 28. Mr. POTTSasked the Minister of Pensions how many officers and how many men who were drawing war disability pensions died as the result of their War disability in each year ended 31st March, 1930, to 1936; and how many of these left widows or children who were granted pensions under the War Pensions Regulations?
§ The MINISTER of PENSIONS (Mr. R. S. Hudson)As detailed figures are involved I will, with permission, circulate the reply in the OFFICIAL REPORT. I regret that the records of my Department do not enable me to give the information asked for in the first part of the question.
§ Following, are the figures:
§ The number of widows' and children's pensions granted during the seven years referred to, consequent upon the death of pensioners, were as follow:
| Year ended | Officers' cases. | Cases of Other Ranks. | Total. |
| 31st March, 1930 | 79 | 1,629 | 1,708 |
| 31st March, 1931 | 56 | 1,308 | 1,364 |
| 31st March, 1932 | 55 | 1,131 | 1,186 |
| 31st March, 1933 | 36 | 814 | 850 |
| 31st March, 1934 | 29 | 746 | 775 |
| 31st March, 1935 | 37 | 673 | 710 |
| 31st March, 1936 | 29 | 684 | 713 |
§ 29. Mr. CHARLETONasked the Minister of Pensions whether, having regard to the importance of the expert adjustment by experienced surgeons of the artificial limbs required in cases of amputation, as demonstrated by the Ministry's work in War disabled cases, he can make arrangements for civilian cases to have the benefit of similar treatment?
§ Mr. HUDSONYes, Sir. The Committee of Queen Mary's Hospital, Roehampton, have specific powers for this purpose under the scheme of the Charity Commissioners governing their funds and a certain number of civilian cases of amputation have for some time, by arrangement with the London County Council and other public bodies, been successfully dealt with at Roehampton, with the expert advice of Ministry surgeons, on the basis of payment for all charges incurred. I feel that it would be deplorable if the knowledge and skill developed in this service were allowed to lapse with the decreasing number of ex-service men necessarily now coming forward. I have accordingly agreed to a suggestion made by the committee of the Hospital that the services of the limb fitting surgeons of the Ministry, both at Roehampton and in the provincial centres where ex-service men are dealt with, should be made available to the committee for the expert adjustment of artificial limbs for further classes of civilian cases submitted to them. Under the agreement to be entered into for the purpose, fees which will entirely cover all expenses incurred by the Ministry will be charged, and the service will 1076 be inaugurated as early as possible. I should add that so far as the Ministry is concerned these arrangements will in no circumstances be allowed to interfere either with the practice of any independent surgeon who may desire himself to supervise the adjustment of an artificial limb in any case in which he has been concerned, or with the supply of artificial limbs by any firm of limb-makers that it may be desired to employ.
§ 30. Captain Sir IAN FRASERasked the Minister of Pensions, with reference to the conference he held in April last with representatives of certain voluntary funds, whether he has been able to meet the suggestion then made that an authoritative guide to the numerous voluntary funds and agencies for assisting ex-Service men and their dependants would be of great service both to the funds themselves and to the public?
§ Mr. HUDSONYes, Sir. I have found a general measure of agreement amongst the voluntary funds consulted that an authoritative guide is called for. They are co-operating in its compilation and arrangement, and I hope to issue it in the Autumn.