§ Lieut.-Colonel HEADLAMasked the Minister of Pensions whether he is aware that, owing to the restrictions of the royal warrant, the pension allowance that was in issue to Joseph Thomas Jackson, son of the late Private John Jackson, No. 455, Durham Light Infantry, who was killed in action on 25th June, 1915, ceased at the age of 21, although he is suffering from paralysis and imbecility and is unable to contribute in any way to his own support; and whether he will consider amending the royal warrant with the object of ensuring that allowances are continued to totally incapacitated war orphans for so long as such incapacity exists?
§ Major TRYONI have no authority to reissue allowances in favour of the young person referred to. It is a long established principle that pensions liability for children should not extend at the utmost beyond the attainment of their majority, and, although an exception has been made as regards the special and limited class of young persons who become total orphans before reaching the age of 21, I cannot hold out any hope of a departure from the decision of the late Labour Government that the concession must be limited to this class.