HC Deb 24 June 1943 vol 390 cc1295-300
29. Mr. Mander

asked the Minister of Pensions what concessions in the way of clothing coupons are made in respect of surgical boots required by wounded ex-Service men?

The Minister of Pensions (Sir Waiter Womersley)

Under regulations made by the Board of Trade the supply of surgical footwear is subject to the surrender of the same number of clothing coupons as for ordinary footwear, regardless of whether the person is, or is not, an ex-Service man. The Board are however prepared to consider sympathetically any individual cases where the surrender of coupons causes real hardship.

Commander Locker-Lampsom

Should not surgical boots be given without coupons to everybody?

30. Miss Ward

asked the Minister of Pensions whether he can give any indication when the results of his comprehensive overhaul of pensions will be available for the House?

Sir W. Womersley

I hope to be in a position to make a statement about the middle of next month.

Miss Ward

In view of the fact that the inquiry is now completed, am I right in assuming that the right hon. Gentleman and the War Cabinet, who have obstinately refused to face facts in the past, now understand the meaning of public opinion in this matter?

Mr. Shinwell

May I ask the right hon. Gentleman whether he cannot now disclose his mind, since he has been fortified with the full support of His Majesty's Government?

31. Major Lyons

asked the Minister of Pensions whether, in view of the rising public resentment at the rates and assessments of disability Service pensions, he will forthwith introduce a new Royal Warrant?

Sir W. Womersley

I would ask the hon. and gallant Member to await the general statement that I shall shortly be making to the House, which will deal with the rates and other cognate matters affecting war pensions.

Major Lyons

In view of the facts that are known to us all and the rising public anger at these injustices, how many more years' consideration does the right hon. Gentleman want before he puts an end to this scandal?

Dr. Haden Guest

Can the right hon. Gentleman say whether, when he makes the statement, there will be the possibility of the House having a Debate on this matter?

Sir W. Womersley

That question should be addressed to the Leader of the House. A question has been addressed to the Leader of the House, and he has given an assurance that a Debate will take place.

Mr. Lawson

Do I understand that the right hon. Gentleman is going to give the answer in the middle of next month; was that his statement?

Sir W. Womersley

I am hoping that arrangements will be made. I am very desirous of making a statement as soon as possible, but the Business of the House has to be arranged through the usual channels, as we know, and I am hopeful that I shall get an early turn.

Mr. Lawson

Is it not putting off the statement for rather a long time in view of the length of time and of the protests made upon these matters, and particularly as the middle of next month will carry us near to the end of the Session and it may then be difficult to get a Debate upon the matter?

Sir W. Womersley

As hon. Members will surely realise, the large number of important suggestions that have been made must receive full consideration, and I must get the approval of the Government as a whole on these matters before I can announce them to the House. Further, I made a promise to the British Legion that I would receive a deputation from that organisation after they had had their conference. In honour bound, I must hear what they have to say before a final announcement is made.

Mr. Shinwell

Is it not a fact that it is not the Business of the House that is the chief obstacle but the Chancellor of the Exchequer?

Sir W. Womersley

I say emphatically, "No, Sir".

32. Mr. Burke

asked the Minister of Pensions whether he will take steps to give publicity to the fact that men awarded pensions for deafness in the last war have a right to make application for increased assessment?

Sir W. Womersley

I made an announcement to the House on this matter in the reply which I gave the hon. Member for Rothwell (Mr. T. J. Brooks) on 21st January last and which was in fact given publicity through the Press and by the British Legion. Since then a number of applications have been received and have been dealt with.

Mr. Burke

Is it possible to notify all men who were receiving pensions for temporary deafness before 21st January? Will the Minister consider circulating the information to the deaf and dumb institutions and to the journals that these people read?

Sir W. Womersley

I am very anxious that every man who is entitled to the benefit of this concession should apply for it. I am prepared to do everything possible to make it known to those who are available for this new benefit, and if my hon. Friend has any particular institution in mind and will let me know, I will communicate with them.

Mr. Burke

Does not lily right hon. Friend know that there are deaf and dumb institutes all over the country?

Sir W. Womersley

I can assure the hon. Member that they know all about it; there is no question about that.

Mr. Stephen

Can the Minister say whether any of these applications have been successful, because the case that I put before him did not seem to me to receive any satisfaction?

Sir W. Womersley

I can assure the hon. Member that a large number of them have been successful.

33. Mr. Thorne

asked the Minister of Pensions what answer he has returned to the petition from the West Ham War Pensions Committee in connection with a resolution that they had received from the Birmingham and Sutton Coldfield War Pensions Committee?

Sir W. Womersley

The petition to which the hon. Member refers relates to one of the matters which I have under consideration and which will be dealt with in the general statement which I hope to make shortly on the whole pension position.

Mr. Thorne

Can I do anything to help my right hon. Friend?

Commander Locker-Lampson

May I ask my right hon. Friend whether he will pay particular attention to any resolution emanating from Birmingham?

Sir W. Womersley

And equally so from West Ham.

34. Mr. E. P. Smith

asked the Minister of Pensions whether grants for dental treatment are only admissible in the case of soldiers' wives if such treatment is certified to be a necessary part of the treatment of another serious illness; and whether he will reconsider the position?

Sir W. Womersley

I am giving consideration to the matter raised in this Question.

Mr. John Dugdale

Is the Minister aware that charitable organisations have thousands of Service men's wives on their lists who are waiting for treatment and that they are unable to get it?

Sir W. Womersley

No, Sir, I am not aware of that, and I do not think it is true.

Mr. Dugdale

It is.

35. Dr. Haden Guest

asked the Minister of Pensions the number or percentage of deaths in the Navy, Army and Air Force since the beginning of hostilities, to the latest convenient date, which have been held to be not connected with service; and whether any public provision has been made for the widows or other dependants of these persons?

Sir W. Womersley

I am making inquiries to see what information on the lines desired is readily available and I will communicate with the hon. Member in due course. As regards the second part of the Question, the widow and children of a man whose death was not attributable to service would normally be entitled to the benefits of the Widows, Orphans and Old Age Contributory Pensions Acts.

Mr. Cluse

Is there not a big difference?

Sir W. Womersley

The hon. Member says that there is a big difference, and that was true until last week, when this House passed a Measure which gave supplementation of contributory pensions to widows, and that possibly will ease the position. At any rate, I hope so.

Dr. Guest

Will the right hon. Gentleman be able to get the information for which I have asked before he makes his statement on pensions, as this question has a very important relation to the general pensions question?

Sir W. Womersley

I will do my best.

Mr. Glenvil Hall

Will the right hon. Gentleman convey that information to the Whole House as well as to the hon. Member?

Mr. Ness Edwards

Would the Minister tell the House what happens to those widows who are normally not entitled to widows' pensions?

Sir W. Womersley

Actually, at the moment, I can give that figure. There are fewer than 300 widows who are not entitled to either a Service pension or a contributory pension. Mostly they are widows of former small shopkeepers and business men who died while in the Forces, and I am trying to find a solution even to that problem.

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