HC Deb 17 July 1961 vol 644 cc855-6
1. Miss Herbison

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance if he will enable ex-Service men, on the question of supplementary allowances, to have the same right of appeal to an independent tribunal as the industrially disabled have.

The Minister of Pensions and National Insurance (Mr. John Boyd-Carpenter)

No, Sir. The Industrial Injuries scheme, which is a form of statutory insurance, is not comparable with the War Pensions scheme. So far as supplementary allowances are concerned, the War Pensions scheme includes a number for which there is no parallel in Industrial Injuries. I do not think that the introduction of formal appeals to a legal tribunal in respect of some or all of these allowances would be in the interests of the war disabled.

Miss Herbison

Is the Minister aware that the war disabled think that it would be a great improvement if they had this right of appeal, as many of the supplementary allowances which the war disabled receive are exactly the same as those which the industrially disabled receive? Would not the right hon. Gentleman reconsider the matter, because it is a question, not only of justice being done but of the war disabled seeing that it is done, and they do not feel that it is done at present?

Mr. Boyd-Carpenter

I am as anxious as the hon. Lady to secure the end which she mentioned in the latter part of her supplementary question. In many ways it would be a considerable relief to me to delegate responsibility for what are sometimes quite difficult decisions, but I do not think that the way in which we have tried to administer war pension allowances would be helped by formalising the system of decision, which would mean that if the decision went against the applicant we should have to follow it strictly in other cases. I do not wish to be dogmatic about this, but at present I am not persuaded that what the hon. Lady suggests would be an improvement.

Miss Herbison

Since I am not satisfied with the Minister's reply, I beg to give notice that I shall raise the matter on the Adjournment at the earliest possible moment.