HC Deb 23 February 1921 vol 138 c947W
Mr. HIGHAM

asked the Minister of Pensions whether he is aware that the wife of William George Nash, No. 203673, Rifle Brigade, who enlisted in March, 1916, and was so seriously wounded that he was detained in hospital for more than a year and was not discharged therefore until the 26th September, 1920, was deprived of the special supplementary allowance granted to her under Part 2 of the Regulations of the Special Grants Committee as from the 13th June, 1920; whether he will state on what grounds the family of a man who has suffered so severely from war service was deprived of assistance which has since been re-issued to the families of men still in hospital; whether he is aware that assistance had to be given from private sources; and whether this procedure is in accordance with the nation's pledges given to men on enlistment?

Mr. MACPHERSON

The decision of the Government to stop supplementary allowances to the wives and families of serving soldiers as from the 30th June, 1920, was of general application. Subsequently, however, a concession, with effect from the 15th October last, was made in the case of men still detained in hospital; but it was not found practicable to make this supplementation retrospective. As regards the last part of the question, I would remind my hon. Friend of the substantial increases in Army pay and allowances granted since the date of this man's enlistment.