Mr. Graham Whiteasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of War Transport whether his attention has been drawn to hardships arising from the fact that recipients of Mercantile Marine pensions are not eligible for supplementary pensions; and whether he will arrange for these pensions to be paid weekly, in cases where it may be desired, as payment monthly causes unnecessary inconvenience to those accustomed to a weekly budget?
§ Mr. Noel-BakerWidows' pensions under the 1914–18 War Risks Compensation Scheme for the Mercantile Marine have been assessed on the basis that the minimum pension is £69 6s. 8d. per annum which is more than the maximum to which supplementary pensions are related. I have, however, arranged that the position of all widow pensioners under this Scheme shall be examined in order to make sure whether any widows could benefit if the arrangements made by the Ministry of Pensions for supplementary awards for widows of ex-Service men were applied. If there are any such cases, they will receive sympathetic consideration. I am grateful to my hon. Friend for having called my attention to the point which he raises in the second part of his Question, and I am arranging that in future weekly instead of monthly payments, shall be made to the pensioners, if they so desire.