§ Sir B. FALLEasked the Home Secretary if he is aware that Mrs. Taylor, of Hope Cottage, Bishops Waltham, widow 493W of T. Taylor, was told, 5th April, 1923, by the dockyard authorities, Portsmouth, to attend to receive the Imperial Service Medal awarded to her husband on 28th July, 1922, and that on 13th April Mrs. Taylor was informed by the Home Office that as Taylor died before the date of His Majesty's approval of the award the award must be considered to have been made in error and must be cancelled; is he aware that on 14th April Mrs. Taylor received a letter from the dockyard to the effect that the medal could not be presented; and if, in view of the long delay in obtaining His Majesty's approval, the matter can be reconsidered and the medal given to Mrs. Taylor?
§ Mr. BRIDGEMANI am aware of the facts stated. Imperial Service Medals cannot be granted posthumously, and if it had been known at the date of the award that Mr. Taylor had died, it would not have been made. It is regretted that the award could not have been made sooner, but some delay is unavoidable. I am afraid the matter cannot be reconsidered.