§ Sir GEORGE TOULMINasked the Financial Secretary to the War Office whether any difference is made in the claim for a pension of a soldier suffering from ill-health or wounds by his being retained in hospital until he can be sent home as time-expired instead of being discharged earlier as medically unfit or on account of wounds; and whether the retention of the man until he is time-expired saves the State from any financial liability?
§ Mr. FORSTERA disability pension could be awarded in either case. If, however, the man was discharged as time-expired and not as medically unfit, his claim might not come before the Chelsea Commissioners for consideration in the usual way unless he made the claim himself. The War Office does not discharge men as time-expired instead of as medically unfit in order to evade the pension claim. The man only remains in hospital until he is fit to travel.