§ Major COHENasked the Minister of Pensions whether his attention has been drawn to the case of Mr. R. E. Turner, of High Street, Bagworth, formerly Corporal, No. 11,644, 2nd Leicestershire Regiment, who was invalided on account of wounds in 1916 and admitted to pension, but, not-withstanding the fact that he was a paid acting corporal when wounded, received no rank allowance between the date of discharge and the 14th April, 1930; and, having regard to the fact that the claim for rank allowance has been admitted and such allowance issued as from April of last year, whether he will arrange for arrears of such allowance to be paid as from date of discharge?
§ Mr. F. O. ROBERTSMr. Turner was granted a life pension in May, 1916, before any additional allowance for acting rank was authorised, and his pension was correctly based on his substantive rank. It was not practicable to notify each pensioner individually of any additional benefits conferred by subsequent legislation, but wide publicity was given to those benefits, including the provision made for acting rank. Notwithstanding this publicity, Mr. Turner made no inquiry until April, 1930, and the allowance has, in accordance with the established practice, been granted from the date of application.