§ Mr. C. WHITEasked the Treasurer of the Household whether his attention has been called to the case of Captain A. H. H. Rice, late of the 16th South Lancashire Regiment, who was declared by the Ministry of Pensions in May, 1922, to be suffering from a disability attributable to war service, and a gratuity awarded, which Captain Rice refused to accept and appealed as to assessment to the Pensions Appeal Tribunal in November, 1922, enclosing wth his appeal certificates from eminent doctors and letters from officers who had served with him, 1734W including one from Sir John Harrington; whether he is aware that this appeal has never been heard; whether he is also aware that Captain Rice has now been requested by the Ministry to send in a new appeal as to entitlement though there has never been any question as to his disability being attributable to war service; and whether he will give instructions that the original appeal sent in by Captain Rice in November, 1922, shall be heard and that the original medical certificates and letters sent in by him at that time be at once returned?
§ Major TRYONI have been asked to reply. I have looked personally into the 1735W facts of this case. The question of entitlement arose out of statements made by the officer himself, but I am satisfied that the case was not one in which appeal to the Assessment Appeal Tribunal should on this account have been delayed. I have, therefore, directed that the appeal shall be forwarded to that tribunal without delay, and will ask that hearing may be expedited.