§ Mr. HERRIOTTSasked the Minister of Pensions whether, seeing that the Ministry of Pensions Hospital, Sunderland, was closed on 14th July, that some of the patients were sent home pending the provision of other hospital accommodation, and that in some cases men did not receive treatment allowances while awaiting admission to another hospital, he will arrange that the treatment allowances for the waiting period shall be paid?
§ Major TRYONIn the short time available, I have not been able to obtain a full report on this matter, but I understand that no trace can be found of any case of the nature suggested in the question. If the hon. Member will let me have particulars of any such case, I will have further inquiries made.
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§ Mr. BARKERasked the Minister of Pensions if he is aware that an ex-service man, Harry Ralph, No. 2,727, 5th Monmouthshire Regiment, now residing at 28, John Street, Cwmcarn (Mon.), is disabled through shell-shock and has been disabled over two years; that he is on a pension of 16s. per week and has to be partly maintained by his relatives; and that he claims that he has not received treatment allowance from 25th May, 1923, to 21st July, 1923, though recommended by the district commissioner of medical services of Newport for treatment allowance; and will he look into this case with a view to increasing the pension and granting treatment allowance?
§ Major TRYONThis man, who has been provided with considerable periods of treatment, was examined on an application for further treatment in June, when it was found that further treatment was not necessary. Treatment allowances are not, therefore, payable. The degree of disablement from neurasthenia was recently assessed by a medical board at 40 per cent., at which pension will be renewed, but if the man be dissatisfied with that finding, he may exercise his right of appeal to a medical appeal board through the Area Office of the Ministry.
§ Mr. MIDDLETONasked the Minister of Pensions whether he is aware that Mr. John Cameron, of 62, Temple Street, Cheetham, Manchester, was invalided from the Army on the 8th August, 1917, suffering from pulmonary tuberculosis, insomnia, and neurasthenia; that on the 28th June, 1922, he appealed to the local committee for treatment allowance pending recovery from illness, and was referred to the Hardman Street Tuberculosis Office, where he was informed that, as his illness was neurasthenia and the invaliding disability tuberculosis, no treatment could be allowed; that correspondence has been passing from that date until the present time, during which period the condition of the patient has become progressively worse; that a leading Manchester specialist certified on the 16th instant that Mr. Cameron is suffering from the effects of pulmonary tuberculosis; and whether, having regard to the serious condition of the patient and the treatment of this case by the 1731W Manchester Area Office and the headquarters of the Ministry, he will institute immediate inquiries?
§ Major TRYONI am inquiring into this case, and will communicate with the hon. Member later.