§ Mr. DARBISHIREasked the Minister of Pensions whether he is prepared to make representations to the Lord Chancellor to allow a further appeal to the Appeal Tribunal in cases where fresh relevant evidence can be produced?
§ Major TRYONThe matter has been and is being considered by the Lord Chancellor's Department in conjunction with my own.
§ Mr. F. ROBERTSasked the Minister of Pensions how many of the 600 insane ex-service men whose maintenance has been thrown upon Poor Law authorities have appealed against the stoppage of pension allowances and treatment by his Department; what number of these appeals have been determined and with what results: what steps have been taken to ensure that every one of these men are given facilities to appeal; and whether local pensions committees have been asked to assist these unfortunate men to prepare their cases for appeal?
§ Major TRYONIt is the invariable practice in notifying claimants of the rejection of their claims to call attention to the right of appeal, and in these particular cases special steps were taken1518W last summer to bring that right to the notice of the relatives of the men. I find that of those on whose behalf appeal had not previously been made, appeals have now been lodged in about 275 cases and are being dealt with by the tribunals as rapidly as possible. I have at present only information as to 89 cases as having been decided, and of these in 36 cases the appeal has been allowed. It is the duty of the officer in charge of a local office of the Ministry at which appeals are lodged to explain the procedure to the appellant (or the person acting on his behalf) to indicate in what respects the evidence in support of the appeal is defective, and to inform the appellant that if he so desires he may secure the assistance of a member of the War Pensions Committee in putting forward the appeal.