HC Deb 29 January 1968 vol 757 cc861-2
13. Mr. Boyd-Carpenter

asked the Minister of Social Security whether she will now adjust the payments made to war disability pensioners resident overseas so as to restore the value of their Pensions in terms of the local currency of he places in which they reside to the level at which it was prior to the devaluation of the £ sterling.

Mrs. Hart

No, Sir. War pensions are payable abroad in sterling and there is no power to vary them upwards or downwards in accordance with changes in the relative value of the local currency. As he right hon. Gentleman knows, the War Pensioners Welfare Service is there to help any pensioner who may experience hardship.

Mr. Boyd-Carpenter

Is it not appalling that men who suffered injury and mutilation in the service of this country have their pensions reduced in effective terms by 14 per cent.? As the right hon. Lady's own figure of the cost was no more than £750,000. is not this a debt of honour which should have precedent over, for example, the provision of aid to countries which have broken off relations with us?

Mrs. Hart

We are considering here a point which reflects our power to pay in sterling. This is the difficulty. As the right hon. Gentleman knows perfectly well, any war pensioner outside this country who is in real hardship can be helped by the War Pensioners Welfare Service. This is able to help and does help. There is no reason whatever why any war pensioner living abroad should experience hardship as a result of devaluation.

Lord Balniel

Is not the right hon. Lady really quibbling on a technicality? Is there not an issue of public good faith here? Did not these people, resident overseas, come over during the war to serve in our forces and were they not wounded in fighting with our forces on our behalf? Surely we should do something to protect them from having their pensions cut after devaluation by 14 per cent. This is a debt of honour.

Mrs. Hart

The noble Lord is perhaps not familiar with the workings of the War Pensioners Welfare Service. If he were he would know that there are a number of grants which are made to any war pensioner abroad who is suffering real hardship. This is the kind of arrangement which we can and do make in order to be sure that those war pensioners who need protection can have it.

Mr. Boyd-Carpenter

On a point of order. In view of the unsatisfactory nature of that reply, I beg to give notice that I shall seek to raise this matter on the Adjournment at the earliest possible opportunity.