§ Lord H. CAVENDISH-BENTINCKasked the Minister of Pensions whether the Government will allow disabled men, who cannot Obtain work owing to their disability, to be assessed for a pension according to their loss of earning capacity on lines similar to the alternative pensions, although the time for application for such pensions has now passed?
Mr. ROBERTSI am not prepared to adopt this suggection. Since the establishment of my Department disablement pension has been granted on equal terms to all men suffering from the same degree of disablement without regard to such factors as earning capacity on employment. I could not recommend a, return 1031W to the earlier method, which embraced the suggestion in the question, and which was generally condemned as leading to grave inequalities and injustices.
§ Sir J. MARRIOTTasked the Minister of Pensions whether his attention has been called to the case of Mr. A. E. W. Sellers, of 33, Walpole Street, fiaxby Road, York; and, if so, what action, if any, he proposes to take in the matter?
Mr. ROBERTSThis man has been compensated for rheumatism, accepted as due to service, and also for heart trouble of pre-War origin, which service in the Great War aggravated. The effects of service on the heart condition passed away in 1920, when disablement had become very slight, and a decision of the Ministry to that effect has been confirmed on appeal by the Pensions Appeal Tribunal. The tribunal have also agreed with the Ministry that compensation on a final basis should be granted in respect of the slight disablement remaining from the rheumatism, and an award of a final allowance therefor has been made and is in course of payment.