§ Captain BAGLEYasked the Minister of Pensions whether, in respect of the late Private Thomas Edwards, No. 204,863, Lancashire Fusiliers, who died in hospital, as a result of wounds, on 28th October, 1918, pensions of 15s. and 4s. 6d., respectively, were awarded to his mother and sister, both of whom were dependent upon him: whether the pension of the sister, who is a lifelong cripple, was taken away and, as a result of a letter to the Prime Minister, reinstated, again taken off, and, as a result of local pensions committee action, again reinstated, and afterwards taken away again and given to the mother; whether the mother died six months ago; whether since that time no pension whatever has been paid to the cripple sister; and whether, having regard to her inability to work and her lifelong dependence on the deceased soldier, and the assurance given by Judge Mellor at the Manchester tribunal that if Edwards served in the Army the State would provide for his sister, the Minister of Pensions can see his way to grant her a pension from the date of the mother's death?
§ Mr. MACPHERSONThe pension of 4s. 6d. a week which Miss Edwards received from May, 1918, to May, 1920, was erroneously awarded—Miss Edwards was not eligible for separation allowance during the late soldier's service and is not, therefore, entitled to pension under 499W Article 22 of the Royal Warrant. I may say, however, that the case is being sympathetically considered by the Special Grants Committee, and I hope to be able to communicate their decision to my hon. and gallant Friend in the course of a few days.