§ Mr. R. YOUNGasked the Minister of Pensions if he will explain the position of a small shopkeeper or business man in relation to subsistence allowances and loss of business time when he has to close his place of business to attend meetings of war pensions committees; and whether payment at the rate of 1s. 6d. per hour is paid for all the hours the business is closed?
§ Major TRYONIn the circumstances stated, a member of a war pensions committee would receive compensation for loss of profits shown necessarily to have been incurred in consequence of attendance at a meeting up to 1s. 6d. an hour and subject to a maximum of 10s. a day. A subsistence allowance would also be payable, subject to the usual conditions.
§ Mr. YOUNGasked the Minister of Pensions whether he is aware that attendance at the meetings of war pensions committees entail much loss of time and personal expense, and that business men very often have not time to send in their claims for travelling expenses, etc., until other business engagements allow; and whether, under these circumstances, he will explain why expenses which are in order cannot be paid after 14 days without the express authority from Ministry head-quarters?
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§ Major TRYONIt is obviously desirable that claims of the kind referred to should be submitted within such time as will allow of a reasonable check upon the facts on which the claim is based, and the period of 14 days, which is the normal rule for this purpose, is, in my experience, adequate. In any case where exceptional circumstances have been present to prevent the claim being made at an earlier date, such circumstances are reasonably considered. The arrangement by which belated claims are submitted to headquarters is in order to ensure that they shall be fully considered and dealt with on uniform lines.