§ Mr. Rhys Daviesasked the Minister of Pensions whether he is aware of the dissatisfaction caused among parents who 785W have lost their sons in the war by the fact that they are informed in the first place that they are not entitled to any pension or allowance, as was the case in the great war, unless they are in need; that, when need does arise, they are then told that they must prove that the need is of a permanent character; that, in order to establish a claim, medical certificates are asked for in some cases to show that the permanency of the need must be based on the fact that the parent is totally incapacitated from following any employment ever again; and will he take steps to relieve the situation in this connection?
§ Sir W. WomersleyThe hon. Member has been misinformed as to the effect of the Royal Warrant and the practice of the Ministry. "Need" is indeed a condition of the grant of a parent's pension, but in all cases the existence of need is generously interpreted in the light of any contribution actually made by the deceased son to the parents support, or any contribution that might have been expected to be made had he survived. No such condition as that need must be permanent or that a medical certificate in the terms suggested must be furnished, has been imposed.