Mr. David Adamsasked the Minister of Pensions whether he will state the number of staff engaged in administering the war service special grants upon the date of the Ministry taking over administrative responsibility and the number now so engaged; and whether the staff is adequate to keep abreast of the intake of claims so that the time-lag in notifying claimants of a determination is reduced to a minimum?
§ Miss WilkinsonMy hon. Friend took over administrative responsibility on 1st December, 1939, and on that date the staff dealing with applications for war36W service grants numbered 482. On 1st June, 1940, the number was 1,330, the increase being due not only to the increased number of claims, but still more to the transfer to the Ministry of the work of audit and payment which had previously been carried out by the Service Departments. The answer to the second part of the Question is in the affirmative.