§ Mr. EVELYN CECILasked the Secretary of State for War whether, in view of the grievance felt that gratuities due to the estate of men killed in 1918 have in very many cases been paid while those due to estates of men killed in 1916 and 1917 often have not, he will take steps to hasten their payment?
§ Mr. FORSTERThe cases of men dying in 1918 whose gratuities have been paid are those in which the accounts were still open when the gratuity was authorised, and consequently the paymaster was in a position to include the gratuity in any payment which was made As stated in the notice which appeard in the Press yesterday and this morning, to which I would refer my right hon. Friend, the war gratuity has now been issued to the legal representatives of over 250,000 officers and men, and the rate of issue is now approaching 30,000 a week. The cases of all officers holding permanent commission s and men who died on or before 30th June, 1917, have been taken in hand, and we are doing all that we can to expedite the payment of the cases outstanding.