HC Deb 14 December 1916 vol 88 cc892-3W
Mr. P. WHITE

asked the Financial Secretary to the War Office if he will state why John Kane, of Navan, county Meath, who joined the 7th Leinsters on 19th October, 1914, was transferred to the 8th Royal Irish Fusiliers, Tipperary, and discharged from the Fusiliers on 6th January, 1915, Regimental No. 15989, D Company, 8th Royal Irish Fusiliers, has not received the discharge he applied for in the first instance to the regimental paymaster, Island Bridge, and in the second to the officer in charge of Infantry records, Island Bridge?

Mr. FORSTER

I am sorry that it has not proved possible to obtain an answer yet to the inquiries which it was necessary to make in Ireland. I will send my hon. Friend a reply as soon as I receive the information.

Sir J. JARDINE

asked the Secretary to the Local Government Board whether the decision to extend separation allowances to dependants of apprentices who are not in a position to make payments to those dependants will apply to the parents of a soldier who was an apprentice and was killed at Gallipoli; and whether the decision is to apply retrospectively?

Mr. HAYES FISHER

The new Regulation, under which special separation allowances may in certain cases be granted to the dependants of sailors and soldiers who have been apprentices, came into force on the 1st December. Grants under the Regulations cannot be made for periods prior to the 1st December, but in the case of applications already received they can be made from that date. Future applicants can receive grants from the date of application. The dependants of sailors and soldiers paid from public funds, who have been killed at Gallipoli or elsewhere, and who had been apprentices, may apply to the Statutory Committee for special temporary allowances under Part I. of the Regulations.

Commander WEDGWOOD

asked the Paymaster-General whether the Stoke-on-Trent War Pensions Committee have appointed a relieving officer as a person to investigate the claims to supplementary pensions; and, if so, will he point out to the local committee the undesirability of such an appointment, involving a pauper taint on our disabled soldiers?

Mr. HAYES FISHER

The Statutory Committee have made inquiry on this subject. They understand that the Stoke-on-Trent local committee have not made any such appointment as that referred to, but that amongst the members of one of the sub-committees appointed by the local committee is a relieving officer. His work as a member of the sub-committee is altogether of a voluntary character. The appointment of the members of a subcommittee rests entirely with the local committee.