§ Mr. DismoreTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence what estimate he has made of the number of claims under the war pensions scheme, accepted under the current burden of proof arrangements, which would be rejected under his proposed changes. [120002]
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§ Mr. CaplinThe proposed changes would not affect claims from those currently eligible under the War Pension Scheme, or from those whose conditions arose before the introduction of the new scheme. The review team's evaluation of the changes proposed for the new scheme looked at the combined effect on a future cohort of claimants of those changes (including arrangements for time-limits and review for deterioration, as well as standard of proof) as against the combined provisions of the two existing schemes—the War Pension Scheme and the Armed Forces Pension Scheme. Its primary concern was whether, overall, the new arrangements would ensure eligibility for those claimants whose conditions might reasonably be regarded as attributable to service and whether the level of provision was appropriate to the pain and suffering incurred and to the expected effect on earnings capacity. It also looked at the overall budgetary implications for the Department. It did not consider the specific effect on numbers of the change to standard of proof. The important issue was the overall effect for those with a reasonable claim rather than the effect of one isolated aspect. The review team's conclusions were that its proposals would provide fairer, more comprehensible and administratively more simple arrangements with a better focus on those whose earning capacity has been significantly affected. As indicated, decisions on claims would be subject to an independent tribunal. The review team expects its proposals to be broadly cost neutral.