§ 38. Mr. Fosterasked the Minister of Pensions if he has any further statement to make regarding the discharge of mental cases from the Forces, since meeting a deputation on the matter on 9th March.
§ Sir W. WomersleyI will communicate with my hon. Friend as soon as I have completed the inquiries which I undertook to make of the other Departments concerned in this question.
§ Mr. FosterMay I ask the right hon. Gentleman whether, in his consideration of this matter, he will have before him the scheme which was applied in the last war in these cases and give some consideration to it?
§ Six W. WomersleyI am very sorry indeed that my hon. Friend did not avail himself of the offer I made to him to come to my room, with other hon. Members, to discuss the whole matter. If he had, he would not have put that question to me now.
§ Captain CobbIs the Minister aware that there is a great deal of feeling about this question on the part of local authorities, who feel, quite rightly, that this should be a national charge and not a charge on the rates?
§ Sir W. WomersleyThat may be so, but it is not a matter with which I can deal.