Captain COOTEasked the Minister of Pensions whether it is the practice of his Department to refuse wife's allowance to a pensioned soldier upon the ground that his disability has only been aggravated by war service; and whether he is aware that this has been done in the case of Second-Corporal E. A. Smith, 2nd Field Survey Battalion, Royal Engineers, now living at 11, Great World's End, Wisbech?
§ Sir JAMES CRAIGThe answer to the first part of the question is in the negative. As regards Corporal Smith's case, there was not sufficient evidence in his official documents to enable the grant of the wife's allowance to be made at the same time as his pension. No refusal of the grant has been made, but, unfortunately, there has been some delay in calling for the marriage certificate to verify the date of marriage, etc. This has now been done and the case will be considered immediately the certificate comes to hand.