§ 2.35 p.m.
§ LORD FRASER OF LONSDALEMy Lords, I beg leave to ask the Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.
§ [The Question was as follows:
§ To ask Her Majesty's Government whether, having regard to the promise in the gracious Speech that there will be a major review of the national schemes for social security, they will undertake a major review of war pensions, including the basic rate, the special allowances and the provisions for war widows.]
§ LORD MITCHISONMy Lords, as the noble Lord, Lord Fraser of Lonsdale, will be aware, certain aspects of the war pensions scheme are already under review by the Committee of which the noble Lord, Lord McCorquodale of Newton, is the chairman, and the noble Lord, Lord Fraser of Lonsdale, himself a distinguished member. The undertaking given in the gracious Speech to increase rates of benefits applies also to war pensions, and I can assure the noble Lord that the position of war pensioners will be kept in mind in connection with the major review of the social security schemes.
§ LORD FRASER OF LONSDALEMy Lords, the Committee to which the noble Lord referred is, if I may say so, an excellent Committee, and I would ask the noble Lord whether he is aware that many of us are glad that it is continuing under this Government, having been set up by the previous one? Is the noble Lord also aware that it has extremely limited application and, quite properly, limited terms of reference? My question is a much wider one, and I hope I may take it from what the noble Lord has said that on this day, which happens to be November 11, we are receiving an assurance that disabled men will continue to receive, as they have done under every Government for the last fifty years, some measure of special consideration in the matter of their rates of war pensions.
§ LORD MITCHISONMy Lords, I would entirely agree with the noble Lord's comments on the value of the Committee 325 and on the limited character of its functions. I hope I have answered the question he had in mind, so far as I can at present, in the previous remarks I made—namely, that the increases contemplated immediately will apply to war pensioners; and, secondly, that their position will he taken into account in the review that is contemplated and indicated in the gracious Speech. I have no reason to think that this Government more than any other will be lacking in recognition of the value of the services which have caused the war pensions to be awarded.
§ LORD FRASER OF LONSDALEthank the noble Lord.