HC Deb 25 October 1954 vol 531 cc1588-90
33. Mr. Simmons

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance if he will call an early meeting of his Central Advisory Committee on War Pensions.

Mr. Peake

There will be matters on which I shall wish to consult the Committee before long, and as soon as I am in a position to do so I will arrange a meeting.

Mr. Simmons

Is not the time between the publication of the last Report on war pensions and a meeting of the Central Advisory Committee on War Pensions already longer than the time between the issue of the Reports of the Ministry of Pensions and meetings of the Minister's Central Advisory Committee under his predecessors?

Mr. Peake

I was not aware of that. The members of this Committee are busy and important people, and I only want to summon them together when I have something of real importance for them to discuss. I shall have such matters before very long.

35. Mr. Simmons

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance if he is in a position to report on the ultimate findings of the Rock Carling Committee.

16. Sir R. Robinson

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance whether the expert medical Committee, under the chairmanship of Sir Ernest Carling, considering matters relating to ageing ex-Service men has yet made its report; what report the Committee has made on the relationship between arterial diseases and amputations; and what action is to be taken on the matter.

Mr. Peake

No, Sir, but I am hopeful that the report will be available shortly.

Mr. Simmons

Can the Minister give any date, as we have been given dates before and I think it is about 12 months since we were promised this report?

Mr. Peake

I am afraid that when I have given a date before we have all been disappointed. On this occasion, I would rather not give a date.

41. Mr. Burden

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance to what extent provisions for increasing age form part of the assessments of war disability pensions; whether such pensioners are entitled under his regulations to old-age pensions in addition to their war disability pensions; and what special provision for age will be included in the coming war pensions increases.

Mr. Peake

Under the Royal Warrant, pensions are assessed on a comparison of the condition of the disabled person with that of a normal healthy person of the same age. In 1947, an expert committee, presided over by Judge Hancock, came to the conclusion that it was neither practicable nor desirable to fix different assessments for different ages and, on existing medical advice, I can see no ground for departing from this view. Retirement or old-age pensions are payable in addition to war disability pensions.

Mr. Burden

Whilst thanking my right hon. Friend for that answer, may I ask if he will again look at the question of ageing limbless ex-Service men, because it seems to many of us that the difficulties under which they suffer are increased out of all proportion to the difficulties of other ageing people not suffering from their disability?

Mr. Peake

I doubt if my hon. Friend realises that assessments of disability can at any time be increased in individual cases. In fact, more than 1,000 World War I assessments were reviewed only last year.