§ 47. Major Petoasked the Prime Minister whether he is aware of the growing resentment among Servicemen and their families over the operation of the system of war grants under which any increase of pay for overseas service or efficiency is usually substantially or entirely nullified by an equivalent reduction in the war grant received 'by the wife and children; and whether he will, as the Minister of Pensions can only administer the law as it is, investigate the whole matter with a view to remedial legislation.
§ Mr. AttleeIncreases in pay do not lead to equal or substantially equal reductions 720 in war service grants, but are taken into account only to the extent explained in a statement which my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister presented to the House on 11th July last and in the recent White Paper Cmd. 6553. Within these limits the practice seems to me reasonable, and it is not considered that any amendment is necessary. In those cases which my hon. and gallant Friend probably has in mind I understand that other improvements have taken place in the family circumstances since the grant was last assessed, and the new calculation must take these also into account.