§ Mr. SNELLasked the Financial Secretary to the War Office if he is aware that on the 27th of February last the Financial Secretary stated, in answer to a question that from the date of the Armistice 962 men of 60 and under 65 years and 627 men of 65 years and over had been discharged from the Royal Arsenal at Woolwich; that all these men had completed more than 20 years' service; that they were dismissed without pension, and that while considered too old to earn their living they were too young to qualify for old age pension; that the distress among this class of dismissed workers is acute; and whether His Majesty's Government will give their consideration to the position of men who are dismissed from the public service without pension after long service?
§ Mr. LAWSONI am aware of the facts referred to in the first part of the question. With regard to the last part, I much regret that I am not in a position to pay pensions to these men, but the majority, if not all of them, have received, on discharge, the gratuities authorised by Parliament in the Superannuation Act of 1887. As regards the general question of pensions, I would refer the hon. Member to the answer given to-day by my right hon. Friend to question No. 43.