Mr. W. M. ADAMSONasked the Minister of Pensions if he is aware of the death in the Cannock workhouse infirmary of an orphan girl, the daughter of an ex-service man who was killed in action; whether he can state if any request was made by the war pensions committee for the Ministry to defray the funeral expenses; whether the girl was buried by the Poor Law authority; and, if so, whether the Ministry will accept responsibility for burial in such cases in future?
§ Captain CRAIG:My right hon. Friend has no general authority to pay the expenses of burial of children or dependants of ex-service men. I have ascertained that in this case the war pensions committee made an effort last year to secure that the child, who was then suffering from tuberculosis, should be taken 538W under the care of my right hon. Friend as provided by Section 9 of the War Pensions Act, 1918, but the child's responsible relative was not willing to allow this.