§ Lord CHARLES BERESFORDasked the First Lord of the Admiralty if his attention has been called to the fact that widows of men in the Royal Navy losing their lives on active service are deprived of their allotments temporarily for an average period of six weeks after widowhood, thereby leaving them with separation allowance only for this period; and whether different arrangements will be made for the readjustment of their finances to prevent this distress?
§ Dr. MACNAMARAThe Noble Lord it under a misapprehension, as I find that when the monthly payment of an allotment is discontinued on the death of the allotter, the first weekly payment of the combined allotment and separation allowance is made either before, or only a comparatively few days after, the next monthly payment would have been due in ordinary course. I may add that after the end of the current month, a combined weekly payment of allotment and separation allowance will be adopted in all cases in which separation allowance is payable to wives or dependants, and this combined payment will then continue without interruption in the event of a casualty until the twenty-six weeks have expired.
§ Mr. NEEDHAMasked the Financial Secretary to the War Office if he will state the reason for the delay of payment to the dependants of Private Marrs, No. 2783, 8th Manchesters, whose allotment form was filled in on 1st December?
Mr. BAKERI find on inquiry that the soldier's mother failed to return the necessary form which was sent to her. Another form has now been sent.
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§ Mr. NEEDHAMasked the Financial Secretary to the War Office whether he can arrange that soldiers on enlistment shall fill up the forms of allotments necessary to secure Government allowances to dependants (not wives), with a view to avoiding the present delay, which is often from one to three months before the first payments are received?
Mr. BAKERIt is already the practice, under regulations dating from 1st November last, to invite recruits to fill up forms of claim at the time of enlistment.
§ Mr. NEEDHAMasked the Financial Secretary to the War Office what are the correct separate amounts to be paid weekly to a widow whose two sons have joined the Army, and in each case allotted 3s. 6d. per week, where one son while at sea gave his mother 12s. 6d. per week and the other son allowed his mother 10s. per week clear?
Mr. BAKERSo far as the information given me enables me to reply the widow would appear to be entitled to 9s. from the Government and 7s. from the sons, making 36s. in all. In such a case separate amounts are not paid.
§ Mr. MOUNTasked the Financial Secretary to the War Office whether, in cases where the father of a man who has enlisted since 4th August has died and the widow is consequently dependent on the support of her son, she will be regarded as a dependant and will be entitled to an allowance if her son makes her an allotment from his pay?
Mr. BAKERI would refer the hon. Member to the answer given to a similar question on the 24th February by the hon. Member for Shrewsbury, a copy of which I will send to him.
§ Mr. THOMAS RICHARDSONasked the Financial Secretary to the War Office whether steps will be taken to insure that Mrs. Brown, whose husband is Saddler-Corporal D. Brown, 5487 D squadron, 16th Lancers, British Expeditionary Force, and whose ring paper is B 103 L, and pay office at Canterbury, is paid the 3s. 6d. per week special allowance for London, seeing that she was compelled to leave the barracks at the Curragh as the room was requisitioned for Kitchener's Army, and that she came to reside in London; and whether as the 3s. 6d. per week was paid for several weeks, was then stopped without notice, 1422W and the amount paid deducted from subsequent weekly allowances, he will see that the same be refunded?
§ Mr. TOUCHEasked the Financial Secretary to the War Office if he is aware that a man serving with the 7th Reserve Battalion Middlesex Regiment is being paid 31s. 6d. per week, including separation allowance to wife and one child that a man of the 6th Battalion Essex National Reserve is receiving 43s. 2d. per week, including separation allowance to wife and two children, that a man attached to the London Irish Territorials is receiving 37s. 11d. per week, including separation allowance to wife and two children, and that a man of the Islington National Reserve attached to the 10th Battalion Territorials, 208, Mare Street, Hackney, is receiving 32s. 1d. per week, with no separation allowance, although he has a wife and five children; will he cause inquiries to be made with a view to ascertaining the reason for these variations, and establishing in practice something like a uniform rate of pay for men performing similar duties; and in doing so will he give consideration to the case of men with large families?
Mr. BAKERAllowances differ in their total amounts according to the different circumstances in which men may be placed. If the hon. Member will furnish me with full particulars of any case in which he thinks a man is not receiving his proper allowances I will have inquiry made.
§ Mr. STEEL-MAITLANDasked when the establishment of the new body of appeal from the decisions of the pensions authority in the case of allowances may be expected?
Mr. BAKERThe machinery for redetermining allowances to dependants who are dissatisfied was published in the post offices and elsewhere last week, and is, I believe, already in operation.
§ Mr. STEEL-MAITLANDasked the Financial Secretary to the War Office whether the provision of Section 10 of the War Office Order of 26th February can be extended, in order that where a soldier has, previous to enlistment, supported a mother, father, aunt, uncle, sister, or brother in addition to a wife, an allowance may be payable in respect of such mother, etc., as if she were an additional child?
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Mr. BAKERIn cases in which separation allowance is issued to the wives and children of married men it is not proposed to extend the allowance to any other dependants.