§ Mr. N. MACLEANasked the Minister of Pensions what is the function of a Pensions Appeal Tribunal or a Medical Appeal Board; whether it is their duty to decide whether the disability is attributed to or aggravated by military service; and whether they have any powers to assess the amount of pension or percentage of disability?
§ Mr. MACPHERSONThe function of Pensions Appeal Tribunals established under Section 8 of the War Pensions (Administrative Provisions) Act, 1919, is to hear and determine appeals against decisions of the Ministry refusing entitlement to pension. In the case of final awards made under Section 4 of the War Pensions Act, 1921, Pensions Appeal Tribunals, modified in constitution for that purpose, hear and decide appeals based on dissatisfaction and have power to vary the amount of the award. I have no control over these bodies, which are established on an independent statutory basis under the jurisdiction of the Lord Chancellor. Medical Appeal Boards, on the other hand, are Ministry institutions under my control, their duties being to deal with appeals based on dissatisfaction with the assessment of disablement by a previous Ministry Survey Board where entitlement has already been admitted and the award is not final.