§ 1. Mr. Moodyasked the Minister of Pensions whether, in view of the small number concerned, he will now consider raising the time limit to 15 years to bring into full benefit disablement pensioners of the 1914–18 war.
§ The Minister of Pensions (Mr. Wilfred Paling)I would refer my hon. Friend to the answer given to the hon. Member for Central Cardiff (Mr. G. Thomas) on 31st January which gives the Government's reasons for introducing a ten years limit. The position of pensioners of both world wars was borne in mind when fixing the limit.
2. Mr. Zilliaeusasked the Minister of Pensions what are the special features in the position of unpaid volunteer part-time CD. workers as distinguished from whole- time paid CD. personnel, that justify his Department making ex gratia awards to part-time personnel injured on their way to or from their post of duty, while with holding such awards from whole-time personnel injured in the same circumstances.
§ Mr. Wilfred PalingThere are no grounds for giving different treatment to 504 the whole-time paid Civil Defences worker who is injured going to or from his normal duty than would be given to any other person injured when going to or from his work. The ground for making an ex gratia payment to the unpaid part-time volunteer injured going to or from duty is that the journey would not have been undertaken except for the purpose of his. duty as a Civil Defence volunteer as distinct from the purpose of his employment or business.
Mr. ZilliaeusIs it not a fact that the journey would not be undertaken by the whole-time paid personnel unless they were going to or from their duty, and, if that is the case, why are they not compensated for injures sustained in the course of their duty?
§ Mr. PalingHe is going to his duty like an ordinary workman. However, if this particular man were answering an emergency call and sustained an accident on his way to or from work, he would get compensation.
§ 3. Captain Crowderasked the Minister of Pensions if, when a disability pension is awarded, he will take into account the earning capacity of the applicant, as well as comparing the condition of the disabled member of the Forces with that of a normal healthy person of the same age, when the disability adversely affects the earning capacity of the applicant.
§ Mr. Wilfred PalingEarning capacity has proved an unsatisfactory basis for assessing a disablement pension, and for that reason the Royal Warrant specifically requires that disablement due to War service shall be assessed by a comparison between the disabled person and a normal healthy person of the same age, without taking into account earning capacity in any specific trade or occupation. But, as indicated in the recent White Paper, provision is now made in certain cases for granting a special allowance to pensioners whose disablement renders them permanently incapable of resuming their regular occupations and of following any other occupation of equivalent standard.