§ Mr. RENTOULasked the Minister of Pensions if his attention has been called to the case of Mrs. M. E. Doggett, Holmleigh Cottage, Hopton, near Great Yarmouth, whose son, a staff-sergeant in the Royal Garrison Artillery, was killed in November, 1916, after nearly 21 years' service in the Army, Mrs. Doggett being awarded a pension in respect thereof of 4s. 2d. per week as from the 6th August, 1918; whether he is aware that her application for a flat-rate pension of 5s. per week, under Royal Warrant of the 6th November, 1918, has been refused on the ground that she commenced receiving her present pension three months prior to the establishment of such flat-rate system and also that Staff-Sergeant Doggett was over 26 years of age at the outbreak of War and, in view of the fact that the flat rate of 5s. per week is being 266W paid to dependants of those who joined, in many cases under compulsion, during the War, he will reconsider the case of Mrs. Doggett?
Captain CRAIGThe award of the flat-rate parents' pension was always expressly subject to the age limit mentioned, and accordingly, apart from any other considerations, Mrs. Doggett was ineligible on that ground alone. The pension awarded to her was a dependency pension, but should she now be in pecuniary need and incapable of self-support an application on that ground for a higher pension will receive consideration.