§ 39. Mr. Prenticeasked the Secretary of State for War whether he will reconsider his decision rejecting the claim to a disability pension of Mr. E. P. Le Fleming, arising from his Army service; and whether he will arrange for an appeal to be heard by the Pensions Appeal Tribunal, so that this man can exercise the same right of appeal as those whose cases are dealt with by the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance.
§ Mr. SoamesFor reasons which have been explained in correspondence with the hon. Member the disability suffered by Mr. Le Fleming is not regarded as being attributable to war service.
The Pensions Appeal Tribunal was set up to consider cases dealt with by my right hon. Friend the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance, and this is not such a case.
There is a special consideration, however, in this case, in that Mr. Le Fleming was born in Egypt and was called up in that country. Soldiers called up in Egypt were at one time given the right of appeal in pensions matters to an independent referee appointed by the British Embassy. These arrangements exist no longer, but because Mr. Le Fleming might once have benefited by them, I am prepared, if he so desires, to seek an independnt adjudication in this country on similar lines.
§ Mr. PrenticeI should like to thank the right hon. Gentleman for that reply. I am sure that everyone would agree that a man who joined the British forces abroad ought to have the same rights of appeal as a man who joined in this country.