§ Mr. Bellengerasked the Minister of Pensions why naval auxiliary personnel have been excluded from the provisions 37W in Section 2 of the White Paper on changes in war pensions providing for eligibility for accidents of personnel proceeding to and from duty?
§ Sir W. WomersleyThe provisions to which the hon. Member refers were approved by the Government for members of the Royal Navy, the Army and the Royal Air Force, on account of the special position of members of those Services. Members of the Naval Auxiliary Service serve under special war-time agreements in a mercantile capacity and at mercantile rates of pay and are eligible for compensation from my Department in respect of disablement or death due to war injury, war risk injury or detention, sustained by reason of their service. Other injuries are dealt with by my right hon. Friend the First Lord of the Admiralty on the terms of the Workmen's Compensation Act as for mercantile personnel generally and I should not feel justified in seeking to amend the Pensions (Mercantile Marine) Act, 1942, to bring within its scope accidents sustained by members whilst not on duty in this country.