§ Mr. P. MEEHANasked the Secretary of State for War (1) if Private J. Rowan, No. 9987, Irish Guards, and Private W. Rowan, No. 11476, Royal Irish Regiment, have claimed dependant's separation allowances for their mother; if so has their application been granted; whether the mother has been or will be paid arrears from the date of the enlistment of these men; (2) if he is aware that Private Michael Condron, No. 19875 Dublin Fusiliers, who joined the Army on the 7th April, 1915, allotted his mother, Mrs. Margaret Condron, of Newtown Cuttyard, Queen's County, 6d. per day out of his pay, which sum she is receiving weekly; if he is aware that this woman has received no allowance whatever from the War office; whether this woman will be paid the usual allowance at once, together with arrears from the date of enlistment; and (3) if he is aware that Private William Foley, No. 2497, 4th Leinster Regiment, was discharged from the front on the 5th July, 1916, suffering 1613W from bronchitis and rheumatism, and has been a patient in Abbeyleix Infirmary since the end of July last, where he is still detained; if he is aware that Foley has served twenty-six years in the Army, seven years in the line, and nineteen years in the Special Reserve, during which latter period he served nearly three years in the Boer War; if he is aware that Foley has had three brothers serving at the front in France, one of whom has also been discharged as an invalid; if he is aware that, although Foley had been paying into the Army and Navy Insurance Department since mobilisation, he has received no benefits from the same; and whether, as this man is now invalided and unable to work, ho will be granted an adequate pension, and, pending the fixing of the same, he will immediately receive all grants, allowances, and benefits, to which he is entitled?
§ Mr. FORSTERInquiries are being made, and I will inform the hon. Member of the results in due course.
§ Mr. MEEHANasked the Secretary of State for War what has been the result of the inquiries into the case of Joseph Brady, No. 3813, Leinster Regiment?
§ Mr. FORSTERThis case is still under consideration. I will let the hon. Member know the result as soon as possible.
§ Mr. MEEHANasked the Secretary of State for War whether Andrew Dunne, of Drymaterril, Ballinakill, Queen's County, has yet received any pension in respect of his three sons who were killed in action, namely, Patrick Dunne, No. 3450, Irish Guards, William Dunne, No. 4390, Irish Guards, and John Dunne, No. 11191, Dublin Fusiliers; and whether Andrew Dunne has yet received any dependant's allowance in respect of his son Thomas Dunne, No. 11513, Irish Guards, who on-listed about two months ago?
§ Mr. FORSTERAuthority has been given for the grant of an allowance in respect of Patrick and William at the maximum pension rate of 5s. a week. Nothing is due in respect of John. The claim for allowance in respect of Thomas is being investigated.
§ Mr. MEEHANasked the Secretary of State for War if he is aware that Elizabeth Price, of Ballylinan, Queen's County, mother of Private James Price, No. 10962, Dublin Fusiliers, who was killed in action on 21st June last, has only received her 1614W son's allotment of 3s. 9d. with 1s. 9d. added by the War Office since 29th March last, and that from December, 1914, until 28th March last she only received the son's allotment of 3s. 9d.; if he can state whether the arrears of the War Office allowance from December, 1914, to 28th March last will be paid her at once, as she is in poor circumstances; and whether an adequate pension will be granted to this woman?
§ Mr. FORSTERI will inquire as to the separation allowance. The pension is under consideration.
§ Viscount WOLMERasked the Financial Secretary to the War Office whether No. 20123 Private Joseph Clarke, 5th Battalion Shropshire Light Infantry, who has been discharged from the Army with his spine injured by a shell and wounded also in the right leg so that he will be a cripple for life, has only been granted a pension of 4s. 8d. per week; and, if so, whether he will take steps to remedy this matter?
§ Mr. FORSTERInquiries are being made, and I will inform my Noble Friend of the result.
§ Sir GEORGE TOULMINasked the Financial Secretary to the War Office whether he is aware that the mother of Sapper W. E. Currie, No. 57288, 3rd Field Company, 15th Division, Royal Engineers, killed in France 25th September, 1915, received a full dependant's allowance for six months and then was paid 10s. a week; whether this was a mistake or is a sum similar to that paid to other bereaved dependent mothers; whether he is aware that the allowance to her from her other son, Private G. A. Currie, No. 39141, 1st South Wales Borderers, was allowed to get into arrears to the amount of £5 6s. 6d.; whether the pension in respect of Sapper W. E. Currie was in August reduced to 5s., and the 5s. excess paid since April exacted in one sum by deducting £4 15s. from the arrears in respect of Private G. A. Currie which Mrs. Currie had relied upon as due to her; and whether this course is usual?
§ Mr. FORSTERInquiries are being made, and I will inform my hon. Friend of the result.
§ Mr. ALDENasked the Financial Secretary to the War Office whether he is aware that Corporal E. Rudd, No. 4465, C Company, 2/14th London Regiment, British Expeditionary Force, was, before he enlisted, 1615W employed in the stamping department of the Inland Revenue, Somerset House, but as his Department refused to give him permission to join the Colours he resigned the situation, and is, in consequence, not in receipt of any portion of his pay from that Department; whether his mother, Mrs. Rudd, of 14, Mayland Road, Wood Green, receives from her son's Army pay the sum of 3s. 6d. weekly, whereas when living at home she received from him 12s. 6d. weekly, and that in addition there was a business in existence which kept the father and mother in comfort, the son helping in the evenings after his own office hours; whether the allowance is based on the difference between the estimated cost of his keep and the 12s. 6d. he was actually paying in cash, taking no account of hi services in the business; whether he is aware that the father is now dead and that the business is now closed; and, in view of all these facts, whether he can see his way to increase the allowance since the circumstances which have since occurred have rendered additional assistance necessary?
§ Mr. FORSTERI am unable to say whether all the facts are as stated, but Mrs. Rudd has been given, on appeal, an Army allowance of 5s. a week. Any further claim arising out of the death of her husband is a matter for the Statutory Committee.
§ Mr. JOWETTasked the Financial Secretary to the War Office whether he has decided not to pay arrears of separation allowance for any period prior to the formal application of soldiers concerned to the dependants of soldiers who were already serving in the Army, and who had made an allotment out of their pay before the scheme for dependants' separation allowance was introduced in November, 1914, but who failed to make a formal application for the said allowance until months afterwards, solely because they had no means of ascertaining that they were entitled to make an application for a Government allowance in addition to their allotment; and, if so, how much he estimates will be saved for the Treasury by thus taking advantage of the failure on the part of the military authorities to inform soldiers, who were already paying weekly out of their own pay for the maintenance of their dependants, in November, 1914, that from that date they were also entitled to an addition to their allotment from State funds?
1616W
§ Mr. FORSTERI would refer my hon. Friend to the answer given by my right hon. Friend the late Financial Secretary to the hon. Member for Houghton-le-Spring, on 19th May, 1915.
Mr. MacCALLUM SCOTTasked the Financial Secretary to the War Office whether he is aware that, in the case of a soldier whose mother is receiving a dependant's allowance of 7s. 6d. a week, if the soldier is promoted to sergeant the Government allowance is immediately reduced by 2s. a week and the soldier is compelled to make an additional allotment of 1s. 2d. a week from his pay before the Government will add 10d. to make up the-original allowance of 7s. 6d. a week; whether the promoted soldier is thus deprived of the power to give his dependants the full benefit of his increase of pay; and whether he will take steps to remove this anomaly?
§ Mr. FORSTERSoldiers, in their several ranks, are required to contribute to the support of their dependants in proportion to their ability to do so. I do not see my way to remove the feature to which the question draws attention.
Mr. MacCALLUM SCOTTasked the Financial Secretary to the War Office, with reference to the option which a partially disabled man has to be pensioned under the 1914 Warrant if it is more favourable to him than the Warrant of 21st May, 1915, taking into account any children's allowance payable under the latter Warrant, whether the War Office as a matter of course always grants the pension under the Warrant which gives the higher scale, or whether it leaves the soldier to find out for himself and apply if he discovers that he would be better treated under the former Warrant?
§ Mr. FORSTERThe soldier is always given the fullest benefit of the Regulations.
§ Mr. P. MEEHANasked whether the case of the dependants of the late Michael Desmond, No. 9352, Leinster Regiment, owing to the poverty of the dependants, was referred to the Statutory Committee for consideration; and whether a further grant was issued under the Naval and Military War Pensions Act has been considered by the Statutory Committee?
§ Mr. FORSTERThis case was referred to the Statutory Committee on the 18th August. The second half of the question 1617W should be addressed to the Parliamentary Secretary to the Local Government Board.
§ Mr. FITZPATRICKasked the Secretary of State for War if he is aware that Michael Breen, of Borragh, Errill, Queen's County, who fought through the South African War and served for eight years with the Colours and four years on the Reserve, and rejoined the Army in March, 1915, and that he was attached to the 2nd Leinster Regiment, was sent to the front the following December, and when in action last March he had his right hand blown off from 3 inches above the wrist; that he was discharged from hospital on the 14th July last and granted a pension of 25s. a week, which was reduced on the 14th September to l1s. 6d per week; and, as this amount is entirely insufficient to support him, whether the amount of his pension will be increased?
§ Mr. FORSTERThis man has received an artificial hand and the full rates of permanent pension usually awarded in such cases.
§ Mr. F. MEEHANasked the Secretary of State for War whether he is aware that Private James Keany, A Company, 6th Battalion Royal Irish Fusiliers, 10th Division, 31st Infantry Brigade, now stationed at Salonika, who joined the Colours in September, 1914, and has since made the usual allowance to his father, John Keany, of Manorhamilton, county Leitrim, has been informed that no dependant's allowances have been allowed; and whether, having regard to the fact that previous to his enlistment he contributed 30s. per week towards the upkeep of his father's family, his case will be inquired into and all arrears allowed?
§ Mr. FORSTERNo Private Keany can be traced as serving in the Royal Irish Fusiliers. If the hon. Member will let me have further particulars, I will have inquiry made.
§ Mr. P. MEEHANasked the Secretary of State for War whether the Chelsea Commissioners, in fixing the amount of pension to be paid to a disabled soldier, take into consideration the payment of disablement benefit from insured societies to which such disabled soldier may be entitled under the National Health Insurance Act, or is the pension fixed irrespective of such payment; if he is aware that many disabled soldiers have been refused payment of disablement benefit by insured societies on 1618W the ground that it was never contemplated that disabled soldiers should be thrown on the funds of those societies; whether the Chelsea Commissioners or the War Office have received any communication from the insured societies on the subject; and, if so, will he state the nature of such communications?
§ Mr. FORSTERThe pension is fixed without any reference to any insurance benefit. Under certain circumstances the Insurance Act provides for a deduction of 5s. a week from the insurance benefit. I am not aware of any refusal to pay insurance benefit in other cases. No communication from approved societies on the general question have been received, but individual societies have referred to Chelsea for information as to particular cases.
§ Mr. P. MEEHANasked the Secretary of State for War whether the case of the dependants of the late Michael Desmond, No. 9352, Leinster Regiment, owing to the poverty of the dependants was referred to the Statutory Committee for consideration; and whether a further grant was issued under the Naval and Military War Pensions Act has been considered by the Statutory Committee?
§ Mr. HAYES FISHERThe case of Mrs. Desmond was referred to the Statutory Committee, who caused inquiry to be made with regard to it by the Soldiers' and Sailors' Families Association. The representative of the association reported that Mrs. Desmond alleged her son allowed her something like 5s. 5d. a week. The pension officer of the War Office, however, reported that Mrs. Desmond was only dependent upon her son to the extent of 2s. 6d. a week, and that she appeared to be satisfied with this finding. She is in receipt of a pension of 2s. 6d., and hence she seems to be receiving as pension the same amount as that which she previously received from her son. The case does not therefore appear to be one in which the Statutory Committee could allow her any supplementary pension, unless it could be shown that the son did in fact send Mrs. Desmond more than 2s. 6d. a week.
Mr. RUTHERFORDasked the Secretary of State for War whether his attention has been called to the case of Thomas Tarleton Bibby, Sapper, No. 1404, in the 1st Cheshire Field Company, Royal Engineers, at present at No. 2 Territorial Base, Rouen, France, who joined the Army 1619W nine months ago, and whose wife received the usual soldier's allowance, which was found not enough to keep the house going and support herself and her two children, George and Thomas, aged four years and two and a half respectively; whether he is aware that the usual application in respect of civil liabilities was made with the object of meeting rent, doctor's bills, and hire-purchase agreement of furniture, all of which were submitted to the Commissioners, who recommended the case as one suitable for a grant after looking into all details respecting private affairs, whereupon she received an official paper dated 15th July, 1916, L.A.A. 0309, that the grant would be made at the rate of £18 a year, payable quarterly, the first instalment, namely, £4 10s., having been paid on 30th September, 1916; whether a further official intimation has been received dated 8th November, 1916, signed E. R. Forber, and bearing the No. L.A.A. /039, to the effect that the committee had reconsidered the application and had decided that the grant must be at the rate of £5 10s. per annum; and whether he will explain this alteration in the rate of the grant, having regard to the fact that there has been no change whatever in the grantee's circumstances?
§ Mr. HAYES FISHERSince his application was first decided Sapper Bibby's pay has been increased. This necessitated a reduction of the grant. The intention was that the grant should be reduced to £10 10s. per annum, but by a clerical error a grant of £5 10s. was notified. The wife is being informed of the correct amount.