§ 5. Lord Willoughby de Eresbyasked the Minister of Pensions whether he can give any further information regarding the question of paying an additional supplement to men who are temporarily unemployable owing to their war disablement, following a period of treatment, and who are not entitled to draw National Health Insurance benefit.
§ The Minister of Pensions (Mr. Buchanan)I have given careful consideration to this matter in the light of discussions with ex-Service organisations. It is undesirable in the pensioner's own interest that in the circumstances in question he should be termed unemployable since with modern methods of treatment and training many such men should ultimately be brought back into industry. Where, however, on the completion of a course of approved institutional treatment the period of necessary abstention from work is likely to be a month or more, a special allowance (inclusive of any health insurance benefit) of 20s. a week will be paid so long as the pensioner is compelled to abstain from work because of the condition for which the treatment was received.