§ Mr. W. GRAHAMasked the Minister of Pensions whether discharged and disabled men whose claims under Article 9 of the Royal Warrant have been rejected, and whose claims have been submitted to the pensions appeal tribunal, are denied allowances pending decision in their appeal; whether in any cases such men while awaiting a decision in their appeal have been referred to the parochial authorities for assistance; and whether, seeing that this involves hardship for the men and is contrary to the general practice of the Ministry of Pensions regarding Poor Law relief for the discharged and disabled, he proposes to take any steps to deal with the matter?
§ Mr. MACPHERSONI would remind my hon. Friend that in the difficult class of case referred to, the position is that the man has recently been examined by a medical board in possession of all the relevant facts, including the man's own statement of his case and evidence in support of it, and he has been found not to580W be eligible for pension. If, thereupon, he appeals to the appeal tribunal and adduces any fresh evidence, full consideration is given to it, and if the claim is admitted, pension is awarded without the case going to the tribunal. I have no authority to grant an advance against pension unless in my judgment and that of my advisers the claim is well founded. In the class of case referred to, therefore, I should not be justified, as my hon. Friend will appreciate, in authorising an advance.