§ Colonel BURTONasked the Minister of Pensions whether he is aware of the distressing position of certain incapacitated war orphans as a result of the regulation which precludes allowances being paid after the age of 21; whether he will seek authority which will enable allowances to be continued in the case of totally incapacitated war orphans for so long as the infirmity exists; and will he specially consider the case of Eileen Baker, daughter of the late Private Harry Israel Baker, No. 34,862, 12th Suffolks, who was reported missing in April, 1918, in view of the fact that this war orphan suffers from paralysis and is unable to contribute to her self-support?
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§ Major TRYONThe facts of the case referred to are as stated. On the more general issue raised I would say that the Government are not prepared to amend the Royal Pension Warrants in the manner proposed. A series of practically identical questions on this subject have recently been addressed to me in this House. The Warrant provisions in question involve an important principle which has been maintained by all successive Government since the War. This principle is that, in the case of children with living parents being pensioned ex-service men or widows, the additional allowance or pension for the child cannot be extended beyond the date when the child attains its majority. A departure from this principle would involve serious reactions in many directions. It would mean the grant of life pensions to men and women on the score of infirmities which are in no way connected with war service, and which consequently would not be pensionable in the case of their fathers, the ex-service men. Moreover, they are already provided for, under statutory powers, by the public social services of this country. It would involve, in fact, the creation of a second generation of adult war pensioners, a development which I do not think the House would view with favour. I may add that the issue raised in these questions is not a new one. Pensions in similar cases have been going out of payment for many years past, and the proposal, if adopted, would mean the revival of cases which have been off the pension list for 12 years or more.