HC Deb 14 November 1944 vol 404 cc1784-5
32. Lieut.-Colonel Dower

asked the Secretary of State for War if he will consider extending the provisions of Home Guard Circular No. 51 of 28th June, 1944, to enable members of the Home Guard who have sustained injuries when proceeding to and from home to the place of Home Guard duty prior to 1st April, 1944, to claim disablement allowance.

Sir J. Grigg

Members of the Home Guard who sustained injuries while proceeding to or from duty prior to 1st April, 1944, are eligible to claim disablement allowance or pension in respect of any current disablement they may have. As was made clear in the reply given by my right hon. Friend the Minister of Pensions to my hon. and learned Friend the Member for Ilford (Mr. G. Hutchinson) on 30th March they are not, however, eligible to claim payments in respect of periods of disablement prior to 1st April, 1944. The decision to admit claims of this nature took effect from that date, and I regret that I am not prepared to allow at this stage payments in respect of previous periods which may have long since passed.

Lieut.-Colonel Dower

As there are quite a number of very hard cases, will not my right hon. Friend reconsider that, although the disablement is no longer continuing, they have suffered considerable hardship and loss of pay?

Sir J. Grigg

I understand that this concession was the result of considerable discussion, and it is, again, one of those cases where retrospection is impracticable.