§ Mr. T. WILLIAMSasked the Secretary of State for War whether he is aware of the difficulties experienced by old campaigners who apply for a special campaign pension on reaching 65 years of age; that many of them are obliged to apply for public assistance before pension is awarded; that pension is withheld so long as public assitance is granted; and will he take steps to remove this anomaly by allowing applications for special pensions to be forwarded two months before reaching the age of 65?
Mr. CO0PERIt is already the practice of the Commissioners of the Royal Hospital, Chelsea, to consider applications for Special Campaign pension which are submitted shortly before the date on which the claimants attain
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Mr. COOPERThe following figures relate only to what is known as the Durham Recruiting Zone, and do not cover those Durham men who apply in the Newcastle and Middlesbrough Zones, each of which serves two counties.
age 65, and there is no objection to applications being so made.