HC Deb 21 August 1916 vol 85 cc2294-5W
Mr. RAFFAN

asked the Financial Secretary to the War Office whether his attention has been called to the fact that, in the event of a soldier becoming insane and transferred to an asylum, all separation allowances payable to his wife or other dependants are immediately stopped; and, seeing that this gives rise to cases of hardship and suffering, whether he will take-steps to remedy the grievance complained of?

Mr. FORSTER

I would refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for East Edinburgh on Wednesday last.

Mr. BROOKES

asked the Financial Secretary to the War Office whether, for the purposes of gratuity to the widow, his Department differentiates between the cases of officers who have succumbed to the results of strain, overwork, and exposure at the front and those who have been killed, died of wounds, or lost their lives by the collapse of a trench; and, if so, whether he will give the reasons actuating this differentiation?

Mr. FORSTER

I would refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for the Egremont Division of Cumberland on Monday last.

Mr. HUGH LAW

asked the Financial Secretary to the War Office if he will state why no separation allowance has been given to the mother of Private James Alcorn, No. 2 Company, 9th Battalion, Royal Irish Fusiliers; whether he is aware that an allotment of pay has, been made by the soldier in her favour since his enlistment in February last, and an application sent on her behalf early in June by the Rev. Canon Pirie Conerney, Dunfanaghy; and why Mr. Conerney's communication was ignored until a second letter was sent by him on the 3rd August?

Mr. FORSTER

Inquiry will be made, and I will inform my hon. Friend of the result.

Mr. HAZLETON

asked the Secretary to the Local Government Board if he will give the names of the fourteen localities in Ireland where arrangements are in progress for setting up War Pensions Committees?

Mr. HAYES FISHER

There are now seventeen counties and county boroughs in Ireland in respect of which the proposals in schemes for local committees have been approved, namely:

COUNTIES.
Antrim Kildare
Armagh Limerick
Carlow Londonderry
Clare Louth
Down Meath
Fermanagh Roscommon
and Wexford.
COUNTY BOROUGHS.
Belfast Londonderry
Cork and Waterford.