HC Deb 12 May 1919 vol 115 cc1374-5W
Major M'LEAN

asked the Secretary for War if he will take steps to expedite the payment of war gratuities to widows and dependants of soldiers?

Mr. FORSTER

Every endeavour is being made to expedite the payment to the legal heirs of the war gratuity due to the estates of deceased soldiers, but it must be realised that this involves the reopening of about 700,000 estates, and that it is quite impossible to effect early payment in all cases.

Mr. HERBERT

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he has yet come to any conclusion as to the possibility of giving some form of gratuity to civilian acting paymasters?

Mr. FORSTER

The consideration of this question is not yet concluded.

Mr. FINNEY

asked the Pensions Minister whether his attention has been called to the case of Mrs. H. Mahon, widow, 9, Moss Street, Cobridge, Burslem, aged 65 years, whose husband died in the year 1904; whether he is aware that her two sons joined His Majesty's Forces, the first one was killed 7th July, 1916, and the second was killed 27th September, 1918, from which day her allowance was stopped; and whether he will inquire into the matter with a view to an adequate allowance being made?

Sir J. CRAIG

From the particulars given I have not boon able to trace any previous application from Mrs. Mahon, but inquiries are now being madeboth of her and of her local committee in order that she may at once receive any allowance due to her.

Captain ORMSBY-GORE

asked the Pensions Minister whether he will have inquiries made into the reasons why Mrs. Kate Evans, of Min-y-Clwyd, Ruthin, Denbighshire, sole dependant of her stepson, Private George Evans, 3rd Battalion South Wales Borderers, has not received the full allowance granted her by the local pensions committee; and whether an appeal by Mrs. Evans for an increase has been refused, and on what grounds?

Mr. FORSTER

In this case the pension officer and the local pension committee disagreed in their assessment of the amount of dependency and in accordance with the usual procedure the claim was referred to the War Office for adjudication. The War Office fixed the dependency at 5s. a week and this assessment was confirmed by the Appeals Committee to whom the matter was subsequently referred on appeal. The Committee were not satisfied from the evidence adduced that the more liberal assessment of the local pension committee had been substantiated, and decided that an allowance of 5s. a week fully covered the dependence which existed.