§ 69. and 70. Mr. Thomas Macphersonasked the Minister of Pensions (1) how-many applications for pensions have been received from Servicemen, ex-Servicemen or their dependants from the outbreak of war to the end of April, 1946, or the latest available date; and how many of these applications have been refused;
(2) how many men and women have been invalided from the Forces since the outbreak of war to the end of April, 1946, or the latest available date.
§ Mr. Wilfred PalingAs the answer is long I will circulate it in the OFFICIAL REPORT.
§ Following is the answer:
§ When a person is invalided from the Forces his documents are automatically referred to the Ministry, irrespective of whether he claims that his entitlement to pension should be considered. A person transferred to Class W of the reserve or discharged on other than health grounds is however required to make a formal claim to pension.
§ Detailed figures for the various categories are not available, but the total number of officers and other ranks dealt with under all heads is approximately 720,000. Awards have been made in nearly 315,000 cases. Of the balance of cases where no award has been made, in over half the man concerned has at no time made or inferred anything in the nature of a claim
§ Persons released from the Forces are also required to submit a claim and 64,000 such claims have been received, awards have been made in nearly 42,000 oases, 10,000 claims have been rejected and 12,000 are under consideration.
§ About 130,000 claims have been received from widows or on behalf of orphans and awards made in nearly 118,000 cases. So far as dependants are concerned, 84,000 claims have been received and nearly 39,000 awards made. In addition, in 37,500 cases entitlement to pension has been conceded leaving 7,500 cases where entitlement has been rejected.