§ Mr. R. C. Morrisonasked the Minister of Health whether he is aware that Mrs. A. Carroll, 90, Bruce Castle Road, N.17, widow of the late Quartermaster Carroll, an insured contributor under National Health Insurance, who died in 62 General Hospital, Palestine, applied in November last for a widow's pension, giving full information of her husband's death; that on 4th February she was informed by letter, numbered 14591353, that no action could be taken until she forwarded a certificate of death; that on sending again the full information received from the War Office she was again asked to send the death certificate which she could not obtain; and, in view of the fact that five months have now elapsed since this widow's application and she is dependent on the charity of relatives, will he expedite a decision?
§ Miss HorsbrughI find that Mrs. Carroll's claim to a widow's pension under the Contributory Pensions Acts was not received by my Department until 17th January, 1941, the claim having been signed and posted by her on 14th January. As no documentary evidence of the death of Mrs. Carroll's husband was forwarded with the claim, Mrs. Carroll was asked to furnish a death certificate or, if one was not obtainable, to state the reason. On 18th February, 1941, a document which had been sent by the War Office to her was received from Mrs. Carroll. This document was accepted by my Department as sufficient evidence of the death of the husband and there is no record of any further request for a death certificate having been made by my De- 871W partment. Mrs. Carroll's claim also entailed investigations regarding the insurance history of the deceased husband and certain other particulars, but I am glad to be able to inform my hon. Friend that my Department succeeded a few days ago in collecting all the requisite data for the determination of the claim and that on 26th March Mrs. Carroll was notified that she had been granted a pension. This pension is payable from 4th February, 1941, as up to that date Mrs. Carroll continued to receive an allowance from the War Office, in continuation of that paid to her during her husband's lifetime.