HC Deb 24 January 1918 vol 101 cc1175-6W
Mr. WING

asked the Financial Secretary to the War Office if he will reconsider the weekly allowances to parents whose sons were apprentices or receiving small wages at the commencement of war, and who, if peace had been maintained, would now be receiving substantial wages, yet small allowances or no allowances are being granted in consequence of so-called pre-war dependence, which, by contrast with others, causes much bitterness?

Sir A. GRIFFITH-BOSCAWEN

I would refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for East Edinburgh on the 12th December, when I endeavoured to make clear the considerable extent to which a recent modification in the Regulations of the Special Grants. Committee enabled them to go beyond pre-war dependants in the grant of weekly allowances to the parents of such sons as. are referred to in the question.

Mr. WATT

asked the Financial Secretary to the War Office whether he is aware that many dependants in Scotland of soldiers have to walk long distances. every week, often in the winter months in trying weather, in order to get payment of the War Office allowances at the post office; that, in particular, eight dependants in Gask, some of them with young children and one of them of seventy years of age, have to walk sixteen miles to Auchterarder Post Office every week; is he aware that in these cases the postman daily does the round and could easily do the work if he was requisitioned so to do by his Department; and will he take steps to have this done wherever distances are excessive?

Mr. ILLINGWORTH

I am inquiring into the matter, and will write to the hon. Member.

Mr. ALDEN

asked the Postmaster General why Donald M'Caskill, a boy messenger, who was given a temporary appointment as postman at South Tottenham at 12s. a week and who was killed in action while serving with the Post Office Rifles, was not granted his appointment as an established postman before lie went to France. considering he was over twenty years of age and had previous to the outbreak of the War passed all necessary examinations and was fully entitled to his appointment at the age of nineteen; and what amount the father is now receiving?

Mr. ILLINGWORTH

Boy messengers are not appointed postmen while in the Army. M'Caskill's age at the date of enlistment was seventeen. The father is not now receiving any pay from the Post Office in respect of his son.