§ Lieut. - Colonel ACLAND - TROYTEasked the Minister of Pensions whether, seeing that one man in every four who has received a final award of under 20 per cent. disability has appealed, showing that these awards are unsatisfactory, he will consider the desirability of introducing fresh legislation on this subject or, at least, of causing an inquiry to be held into the grievances of these men?
Lieut. - Colonel STANLEYI would remind my hon. and gallant Friend that every notification of final award is accompanied by a direct intimation to the officer or man concerned of his right of appeal against the award, and that his personal expenses in connection with the appeal are defrayed by the State. In these circumstances my right hon. Friend cannot agree with the inference drawn by the hon. and gallant Member that the compensation provided for cases of less than 20 per cent., which has been in operation under the Royal Warrants approved by Parliament for many years past, is in principle unsatisfactory.
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§ Lieut. - Colonel ACLAND - TROYTEasked the Minister of Pensions in how many cases appeals have been made against final awards of over 20 per cent. disability and of under 20 per cent. disability, respectively; and the percentage of cases in each class in which the award has been altered?
Lieut. - Colonel STANLEYIn 8,000 eases appeals have been made against final awards of 20 per cent. and over, and in 104,000 cases against final awards of less than 20 per cent. In the former group of cases, 36.9 per cent. were altered so far as regards the amount of the final award, of which 35.1 per cent. were increased and 1.8 per cent, were reduced: and in 24.5 per cent. of the cases the tribunal decided that the case was not yet suitable for final award. In the case of awards of less than 20 per cent., 28 per cent. of the awards were altered (4.8 per cent. being raised to pension rate and 23.2 per cent. slightly increased, but not above 20 per cent. and 0.1 per cent. being lowered), while in 25.4 per cent. of the cases the tribunal decided that the case was not yet suitable for final award.