Mr. RICHARDSONasked the Minister of Pensions if he is aware that pensions granted to mothers are being reduced on the grounds that the wages of the dead soldiers were higher than the pre-War average and presupposing that the profit derived by the mother was abnormal; and, seeing that many of these soldiers' Wages would have been increased every six months by an agreement then, and still, in force, will he inquire into this matter?
§ Major TRYONThe basis of pre-War dependence pension is the ascertained amount of support regularly given by the deceased soldier to the dependant, after allowing for the value of any benefits which he derived from his contribution. In order that the parents of men who enlisted a long time after the beginning of the war, and who, during the intervening period, had been engaged on war work and thus been able to draw abnormally high rates of wage, should not be in a more favourable position as regards pension than the parents of men who enlisted on the outbreak of war, the Warrants of the Ministry have, from the outset, provided that any increase of the regular contribution due to war conditions, should be excluded. There has been no change in the provisions of the Warrant on this point since 1917, except the addition of the 20 per cent. bonus.