HC Deb 19 February 1924 vol 169 cc1553-4W
Mr. GREENE

asked the Minister of Pensions whether he is aware that W. E. Bradley, late No. 325,043, a. corporal in the Worcestershire Yeomanry, lately appealed against the termination of his pension, his appeal being rejected after examination by a tropical disease specialist on a medical board at Birmingham; that his subsequent appeal to the House of Lords tribunal was allowed; that he was referred back to a board at Birmingham, which board included the same tropical disease specialist who had previously examined him; whether it is the practice of the Ministry that a specialist employed on a board be employed in connection with an appeal against the finding of that board; and, if not, whether he will arrange for the appellant to be allowed a further appeal to a board, the members of which shall not have previously examined him?

Mr. MUIR

The final award set aside by the tribunal was made on the assessment of a. medical board held in April, 1921, which consisted of entirely different personnel from that of the medical board held subsequent to the decision of the tribunal given in December last. The question is, therefore, based on a misapprehension and, moreover, it would have been contrary to official instructions if any part of the personnel of two such boards had been identical. My right hon. Friend is arranging for the man to have an early opportunity of taking advantage of his right to be examined by a medical appeal board.

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