§ Sir H. NIELDasked the Minister of Pensions whether his attention has been called to the case of Pte. James Dew, of 114, Coldershaw Road, Ealing, late No. 6,346, 1st Battalion, Rifle Brigade, who, as the result of illness contracted whilst serving in the Burmese War, 1886–9, has been totally disabled, from arthritis, since his discharge from Netley Hospital in 1891, and who has to be wheeled about in a chair and have an attendant to dress him; whether he is aware that Dew was only in receipt of a pension of 7d. per day; that on the 13th February last application was made to the Ministry on his behalf for a total disability pension on the basis of soldiers disabled during the great War; and that as a result he was only awarded an addi- 2249W tional 5d. per day; and why the regulations which increase the pensions of soldiers disabled in former wars and assimilate them to those of present-day rates have been departed from in this case?
§ Mr. MACPHERSONPrivate Dew was invalided in 1891 on account of ostecarthritis which originated in attacks of rheumatism contracted while he was on ordinary military service in India, and before he took part in the Burmese War. His case could not, therefore, be brought within the Former War Warrants of the Ministry of Pensions, which only permit increase to the rates of pensions of the great War in cases where the disease is certified to be "directly or wholly due to War Service." Mr. Dew has received the maximum pension which can be paid under the Regulations applicable to his case, but I would remind my hon. and learned Friend that the question of increasing the pensions of pre-War pensioners is now being considered by a Cabinet Committee.