Mr. ROBINSONasked the Minister of Pensions whether, in the case of an unemployed pensioner suffering from tuberculosis who is ordered to enter an institution for treatment, and whose sole income is a pension of 16s. a week plus 9s. 5d. for wife and two children, action is taken to give the man a medical board so that the pension may be increased to 100 per cent. during the period of incapacity to obtain employment owing to treatment, seeing that in the case of unemployed pensioners the Ministry does not pay treatment allowances?
§ Major TRYONThe assumption made by the hon. Member in this question is based on a misunderstanding. As my right hon. Friend indicated in the reply he gave to the hon. Member for Ashton-under-Lyne (Mr. Bellamy) on 26th February, of which I am sending the hon. Member a copy, the fact of temporary unemployment would not of itself be a bar to the grant of allowances, if the patient were otherwise shown to be ordinarily a worker. Each case is judged on its merits.