§ Mr. Lawsonasked the Minister of Pensions to what extent advantage has been taken by disability pensioners of the scheme of savings inaugurated by him for their benefit last year; and whether applications to join the scheme are still being received?
§ Mr. RamsbothamApproximately 9,250 pensioners have applied to take advantage of the scheme in the II months since the scheme was instituted. I am glad to say that applications continue to be received at a satisfactory rate. I would add that the sums accumulated by participants already amount to about £70,800.
§ Mr. J. Cookeasked the Minister of Pensions if he is aware that local authorities and others have seen their way to make concessions in the form of travel free or at reduced fares to seriously disabled ex-service men; whether any similar concession is afforded by public or private commercial transport companies; and, if so, to what extent this has been done?
§ Mr. RamsbothamA certain number of local authorities have for some years granted concessions in travel to the more seriously disabled ex-service men. I have recently approached others who had not previously granted any such facilities, and to-day 52 local authorities grant free travel or travel at reduced rates to limbless and others seriously disabled. The 3345W blind are already provided for by a separate concession. A few omnibus companies operating over wide areas in the provinces have given a similar concession. The results so far achieved lead me to hope that the list may be substantially extended.
Captain Cobbasked the Minister of Pensions whether he can state the number of civilian cases in which the services of the Ministry's surgical staff have recently been made available for the fitting, adjustment, or repair of artificial limbs?
§ Mr. RamsbothamIn the nine months from October last to June of this year the Ministry's surgical staff have dealt with 247 cases of civilians requiring the provision of new artificial limbs and 376 cases of repairs and adjustments.