PENSIONS AND GRANTS

HC Deb 08 February 1945 vol 407 cc2206-8

21. Mr. Summers

asked the Minister of Pensions if he will amend the regulations governing the payment of disability pensions to men still in hospital, so as to enable them to draw the full amount to which they are entitled, after taking account of maintenance charges, thus putting an end to the practice of accumulating sums to be handed over on release from hospital.

Sir W. Womersley

I do not share the view apparently held by my hon. Friend that it is undesirable to accumulate a balance for the man's assistance on his discharge from hospital, but in any event there are good medical grounds for limiting the amount of pocket money available to patients under treatment.

Mr. Summers

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that great objection is taken to this withholding of money to which disabled men are entitled? Will he reconsider the matter?

Sir W. Womersley

I am not aware of that fact. I have made very close inquiries. I find that when a man is discharged from hospital he is very glad indeed to have a considerable sum of money at his disposal.

Commander Sir Archibald Southby

Will the Minister give further consideration to this matter? If this money belongs to the man, is there any reason why he should be treated like a child, and not allowed to have it?

Sir W. Womersley

It is not a question of treating a man like a child at all. He is provided with all he needs while he is in hospital, including frequent free distributions of cigarettes. There is nothing on which he can spend the money. We look after his wife and children, if he is a married man, and see that they get the proper allowances. Our experience is that it is much more desirable for a man to have a sum of money when discharged from hospital, than that he should spend it on goods which are unnecessary.

Mr. Summers

In view of the nature of the reply, I beg to give notice that I shall raise this matter on the Adjournment.

23. Mr. Lipson

asked the Minister of Pensions if he has considered the representations made to him from a widowed mother whose son joined the Army at the age of 19 and has since been killed, and for whom she has received no pension; and will he give further consideration to the request that the Royal Warrant be amended to enable pensions to be paid in instances of this kind.

Sir W. Womersley

I am unable to trace a refusal of pension to this mother. Indeed, according to the letter forwarded to me by my hon. Friend, the son to whom she refers has not been killed: nor is he now in the Army.

Mr. Lipson

Has not my right hon. Friend misread the letter? The son who is not in the Army, and who has not been killed, is another son. This son was in the Yeomanry and was killed. On the general question, is the Minister now prepared to amend the Royal Warrant to enable pensions to be paid to widowed mothers of unmarried sons?

Sir W. Womersley

I have not misread the letter. It was received by me on the 5th. The Question was on the Order Paper on the 5th. That did not give me much time to consider the matter, and in preparing my reply I had to rely on the letter itself, without making further inquiry. As regards the general question, the answer is, "No, Sir."

Mr. Lipson

In view of the nature of the reply, I beg to give notice that I shall raise the matter on the Adjournment.

24. Mr. E. P. Smith

asked the Minister of Pensions whether he will consider making provision whereby ex-Servicemen in receipt of a disability pension, and who marry after their disability, shall be entitled to family allowances as if they had married prior to their disability.

Sir W. Womersley

I would refer the hon. Member to my reply to the hon. Member for Inverness, Western Isles (Mr. H. MacMillan) on 19th December last, of which I am sending him a copy.

Mr. Smith

Is the Minister aware that there is a very strong feeling in the country that a young man should not be financially barred from marriage because he happened to have been disabled in the service of his country?

Sir W. Womersley

There is no financial bar. There are other arrangements, as the hon. Member may know. If he does not know of them, I will inform him if he will see me after Questions.