§ Mr. BROADasked the Minister of Pensions whether he will authorise the payment of out-of-pocket expenses to the pensioner's friend who attends the tribunal in support of an appeal, more especially in those cases where the appellant is an in-patient in a sanatorium, asylum, or other institution?
§ Colonel GIBBSNo. 33 of the Statutory Rules and Orders governing the procedure of the Pensions Appeal Tribunals provides that
There shall be paid to the appellant or to his next-of-kin or other near relative or guardian if summoned before the tribunal under Regulation 29 or 32, and to 1736W any person accompanying an appellant who is certified by the chairman of the tribunal, the pensions appeal tribunals (central office), the area office or the officers' branch of the Ministry of Pensions as the case may be, to be unfit to travel alone, such travelling and subsistence allowances, and in the case of a successful appeal by a man or his widow such compensation for loss of time as may be allowed in accordance with any Rules for the time being in force in respect of the matter, and as may be certified by the chairman to have been properly expended or incurred.Regulation No. 32 provides, inter alia, thatWhere owing to mental incapacity an appellant is unable to give leave for his case to be taken in his absence, his next-of-kin or other near relative will be summoned before the tribunal to give evidence.The question of extending the scope of these Regulations has on several occasions received most careful consideration, but it is not deemed advisable to make any alteration.