§ Mr. FOREMANasked the Minister of Pensions if he will explain in how many of the 110 cases in which ex-service men have been refused a pension, though blind, the cause of refusal has been their own misconduct, their own serious negligence, and the fact that their disability was not due to military service; whether he will, even on compassionate grounds, again reconsider their cases, since there are so few of them; and whether he will investigate how these men manage to live, particularly since it is not the wish of the country that their total blindness, from whatever cause, should make them dependent on charity for the rest of their lives?
1249W
§ Major TRYONIt would not be possible, without considerable investigation, to classify the cases referred to according to the grounds of rejection as specified in the Royal Warrant. In about 60 of the 110 cases the rejection has been upheld by the Pension Appeal Tribunal, and in the majority of the remaining cases an appeal is pending. With regard to the remainder of the question, I would remind the hon. Member that it is not within the scope of the Ministry of Pensions to provide for the after-care of ex-service men whose disabilities are neither due to nor aggravated by service. In the case of the blind, however, that work is very thoroughly done by "St. Dunstan's," and I am sure that if my hon. Friend were to communicate with Sir Arthur Pearson the result would be satisfactory to him.