§ Mr. JOYNSON-H1CKSasked the Secretary for War whether the Department of the War Office which deals with gratuities to the widows of soldiers killed in the: War has not yet reached the cases of men who died in 1916; and, if so, in view of the hardship to the widows and children of such men, will he say what steps he proposes to take in the matter?
§ Mr. FORSTERThe answer to the first part of the question is in the affirmative. The estates are being dealt with according to the date of death as far as possible. Every endeavour is being made to expedite the payment of the war gratuities due to the estates of deceased soldiers by-training extra staff. The work cannot be-correctly performed by untrained clerks.
Mr. ALFRED DAVIES (Clitheroe)asked the Financial Secretary to the War Office whether he can state the number of outstanding cases where the gratuity to a discharged or deceased soldier has not been paid; whether there are 700,000 gratuities yet to issue; whether the system of dividing the gratuity between a widow and her children is responsible for the-delay; and whether he will consider the- 2431W advisability of augmenting a staff by employing discharged soldiers in order to expedite the payment of moneys due?
§ Mr. FORSTERI would refer the hon. Member to my reply yesterday to the hon. Member for Montrose. The staff is being augmented as fast as the necessary training can be given, but it must be remembered that the work is largely technical in character, depending as it does upon the laws of inheritance and intestacy.