HC Deb 16 November 1953 vol 520 c1393
23. Mr. Simmons

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance if he has yet received the final report of the Rock Carling Committee.

Mr. Peake

No, Sir; the special examination of several thousand pensioners for which the committee asked is taking longer than expected.

Mr. Simmons

This is monstrous. Cannot the Minister give us any idea at all when this committee will report? They have been sitting for an inordinately long time and these limbless pensioners are dying off at the rate of 1,000 a year. I am very angry about this and I hope the Minister will realise that the men for whom I am speaking need immediate attention and not procrastination.

Mr. Peake

I hope that the hon. Member will not get too angry about this matter. After all, this committee was appointed when he was Parliamentary Secretary, and I am not responsible for that. The Committee was composed almost entirely of doctors, and, as he knows, they disagreed among themselves. As a result, we are undertaking this considerable examination of some 4,500 limbless ex-Service men. We want it to be a thorough examination, because the results of the inquiry will be of worldwide importance. I regret that the examinations are taking longer than was at first anticipated.

Mr. Simmons

Cannot the Minister say when this report will be forthcoming? His party have been in office for two years. It is no good putting the blame on us. The new inquiry was started about 12 months ago. Cannot the matter be expedited?

Mr. Peake

I hope that the actual examinations will be completed early in the new year, but I must point out that after that the results have to be brought together and examined.