§ Colonel ASHLEYasked the Pensions Minister whether, in view of the hardships involved by the official refusal to grant the bounty of £ 5 to widows of soldiers who died prior to 1st July, 1916, in the same way that it is given to the widows of those men who died after that date, he will reconsider the whole question with this end in view, that all widows will receive this bounty irrespective of their financial position or the date of the death of their husbands?
§ Sir A. GRIFFITH-BOSCAWENAs explained to the hon. and gallant Member in the reply given to his question of 15th May, widows whose husbands were killed before the 1st July, 1916, were given the gratuity of £5 by the Royal Patriotic Fund Corporation. It is true that the grant was not universal, but there were1414W few who did not obtain it and of those few probably none who were in need. In these circumstances I cannot admit that any hardship is involved in the course adopted by the Ministry or that this question needs to be reconsidered.