§ Mr. SEXTONasked the Minister of Pensions if his attention has been called to the case of J. Ashton, an ex-service man, of 54, Gaskell Street, St. Helens, who is having 5s. a week deducted from his pension for an alleged overpayment of £46 paid to him as treatment allowance; and if he will make the necessary inquiries into the case?
§ Major TRYONI am looking into the facts of this case and will communicate with the hon. Member as soon as possible.
§ Mr. SEXTONasked the Minister of Pensions if his attention has been called to the case of J. Cliffe, a disabled ex-service man, late No. 7,764 Machine Gun Corps, ring paper No. 3/MB/ll,460, of 67, Oldfield Street, St. Helens, who served with the Colours on active service from 1914 until September, 1918, was wounded twice, gassed once, is now unfit for work, and his pension stopped; and if he will make full inquiries into Case No. 182, ring paper No. 3/MA/2,773?
§ Major TRYONThis man has been drawing regularly at the Post Office his 20 per cent, pension awarded for bronchitis. A recent medical board has, however, assessed disablement at less than 20 per cent., and, when the current award expires next month, payment of an appropriate final weekly allowance will commence. The man has made no claim to compensation for wounds. The case referred to in the last part of the question appears to be identical with that dealt with in the previous question.
513W
§ Mr. SEXTONasked the Minister of Pensions if his attention has been called to the case of John Hewitt, No. 32,566, Royal Army Medical Corps, a disabled ex-service man, on active service from 1914 to 1918, whose pension has been stopped since February of the present year, himself and family being in receipt of out-door parish relief; and if he will make the necessary inquiries into the case?
§ Major TRYONThe last award was a final weekly allowance granted under Article 1 (3) of the Royal Warrant in final compensation for slight disablement, and has been paid in full. I regret that no further award can be authorised unless the man's condition has grown materially worst, in which event he may make renewed application through the local office.
§ Mr. J. GUESTasked the Minister of Pensions if he is aware of the destitution and poverty existing among disabled ex-service men and their dependants in the Hems worth area owing to the cutting-down policy pursued by his Ministry: whether he is aware of the burden placed upon the lost rates by this policy, and that the Hems-worth Board of Guardians have made protests against the treatment meted out by pensions authorities to disabled ex-service men and their dependants within their area; and, if so, what steps he proposes to take to remedy these alleged grievances and to honour the promise made to these men at the time of their enlistment?
§ Major TRYONWar pensions are not reduced arbitrarily, as appears to be suggested by the hon. Member. The amount of disablement pension, which is granted as compensation for disablement sustained by war service, is, under the Royal Warrants, regulated solely by the extent of the disablement as assessed from time to time by a medical board, regard being had to medical considerations alone. I may remind the hon. Member that such factors as employment or unemployment were expressly excluded, with the approval of Parliament, from consideration for pension purposes under the Warrants and Regulations administered by me.
Mr. T. HENDERSONasked the Minister of Pensions if he is aware that Mr. James Just, who served as a private in the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders 514W and was discharged in 1917 as being no longer physically fit for service, was wounded during service in the thigh and forehead, and is visibly suffering from shell shock, is receiving a pension of 7s. 6d. per week, with the result that Mr. Just and his wife are forced to depend upon the parish council for assistance; and will he take such steps as may be necessary to have cases of this kind remedied?
§ Major TRYONI am making inquiries into this case and will communicate with the hon. Member shortly.