§ Sir R. HUTCHISONasked the Minister of Pensions whether he is aware that many men with pre-War campaigning service to their credit, who re-enlisted to serve again in the Great War and who continued so serving until finally discharged as no longer physically fit for war service, have since been pensioned at the rate of 8d. a day under Article 1,163 of the 1914 Pay Warrant; and whether, in view of the hardships involved in many cases, he will consider an amendment to the warrant so as to give the benefit of pension assessment at the rate of l½d. per day per year of qualifying service, as instituted in September, 1919, to all such veterans who served for not less than 14 years and whose disability is directly attributable to the Great War?
§ Mr. F. O. ROBERTSThe awards under Article 1,163 of the 1914 Pay Warrant, to which the hon. and gallant Member refers, are restricted to cases of invaliding in which either (a) the disablement resulting from war service is of a minor degree only, assessed at less than 20 per cent., or (b) the disability is not connected with service. The compensation payable in such cases under Ministry Warrants is normally an allowance for a limited period only or a gratuity, but where by reason of pre-War service as a regular soldier in addition to War service a total of 14 years' service has been given, the award of a small life pension under the 1914 Warrant, in lieu of the temporary allowance or gratuity, is permissible. The 61W pension scheme which no doubt the hon. and gallant Member has in mind in the last part of his question was intended solely for the benefit of soldiers with 14 years' service and over who served with the intention of completing time for long service pension, but were prevented from doing so through being invalided during the Great War. I am not prepared to recommend the extension of the scheme to soldiers who would not in any event have completed time for service pension.