§ Mr. GIBSONasked the Minister of Pensions if he is aware that an instruction issued by his Department in November to the medical superintendents of limb-fitting centres has inconvenienced pensioners, who have been unable to obtain repairs to their light-metal artificial legs or new legs in replacement of worn-out legs; and, as this will result in some pensioners having to revert to crutches over the Christmas holidays and an accumulation of repair work as well as new limb orders, and has already thrown out of employment a number of disabled ex-service men normally employed on this work, what action in the matter does he propose to take?
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§ Major TRYONNo instruction has been issued which would have the effect described by my hon. Friend. On the contrary, directions have been given to keep the contractors as fully occupied as possible till the end of the year when the contract with one of the firms employed by the Ministry expires. As the Ministry provides every limbless pensioner with a duplicate limb for every amputation, no one should have "to revert to crutches over the Christmas holidays" or at any other time.