§ Major COHENasked the Secretary of State for War (1) whether he I[...] aware that dissatisfaction exists amongst ex-service men regarding the rates of pension laid down for the widows of officers from the rank of captain downwards and the widows of other ranks; and whether he is prepared to consider increasing the pensions laid down, in accordance with the representations made by the British Legion on the 2nd April, 1924;
(2) whether he is aware that dissatisfaction exists amongst ex-service officers and other ranks discharged since the official termination of the War, and dependants of officers and other ranks killed since that date, because they have no right of appeal against decisions of the War Office in connection with their claims for pension; and whether he is prepared to accede to the request made by the British Legion on the 2nd April, 1924, to extend to such officers, other ranks and dependants the same right of appeal to the House of Lords independent tribunal as is enjoyed by the Great War applicants?
§ Mr. WALSHI am aware of the representations made by the British Legion on 2nd April, but no complaints were made in the War Office before that date nor have any been made since. I have, therefore, no grounds for believing that general dissatisfaction exists. Having regard to the present financial position of the country and the heavy claims in other directions falling upon public funds, I regret that I cannot see my way to recommend an increase in the present scale of pensions. With regard to Question No. 95, I would point out that the present conditions are quite dissimilar from those applicable to the Great War cases, for which the medical and other records were necessarily much less complete. I do not think, therefore, that there are any sufficient grounds for extending to post-War cases the special arrangements made to meet the wholly abnormal conditions of the War cases.