§ Sir I. Fraserasked the Minister of Pensions if it is the Government's intention to review the whole system of war pensions, having regard to their social security proposals.
§ Sir W. WomersleyThe Government's proposals on the subject of social security as outlined in Command 6550 do not involve a general review of war pensions.
§ Mr. Tinkerasked the Minister of Pensions if he is aware that appeals to the pensions tribunal have been sent in over six months ago and applicants have not yet had word when they will be heard; that this delay is causing distress; and if he will try to get an improvement.
§ Sir W. WomersleyThe position remains broadly as I explained to my hon. Friend in my reply to him on 20th July. In the submission of cases to the Tribunals my Department endeavours to give a priority to cases of special urgency, and if my hon. Friend has in mind any urgent cases which are long outstanding perhaps he would send me particulars.
§ Mr. Tinkerasked the Minister of Pensions if he is now in a position to make a statement on the appeal made to him to increase the widows' and children's allowances to £1 15s. and 12s. 6d. a week, respectively.
§ Sir W. WomersleyIt is the considered view of the Government that the present rates of pension for widows of members422W of the Forces and their children are reasonable and that there are no sufficient grounds for a further increase.
§ Mr. Hoggasked the Minister of Pensions what would be the cost to the Treasury of assimilating all war disability and widows' pensions granted in respect of previous wars to the rates paid in respect of the present hostilities.
§ Sir W. WomersleyThe sum at present involved is about £150,000 a year.
§ Lieut.-Commander Hutchisonasked the Minister of Pensions whether he will extend the payment of unemployable allowances under Article 15 of the Royal Warrant to include those men who are temporarily unfit for work immediately following upon their being invalided from the Forces.
§ Sir W. WomersleyIt would be contrary to the clearly defined principle on which these allowances are based to pay them for periods of temporary unfitness for work, and I could not make a distinction between one such period and another.
§ Lieut.-Commander Hutchisonasked the Minister of Pensions whether he will correct the anomaly which exists in cases where a member of the Services is discharged with an allowance or pension in 'respect of disability but is no longer entitled to any allowance corresponding to the dependant's allowance which was payable while he or she was still serving in the Forces.
§ Sir W. WomersleyI am unable to agree that an anomaly exists in this type of case. An allowance for a dependant is granted to a man because of the special position in which he finds himself whilst serving in the Forces. The position is entirely changed when the man returns to civil life and receives a disability pension which is unaffected by his earnings or earning capacity.
§ Sir W. Edgeasked the Minister of Pensions whether, as the grant of a pension is often a psychological aid to recovery, he can state the average length of time which elapses between the application for a pension and its grant, and do all in his power to shorten the interval.
§ Sir W. WomersleyIn the large majority of cases entitlement to pension is determined before the end of the discharge 423W furlough during which service pay and allowances remain in payment. Where it appears that entitlement will be granted but a final decision may be somewhat delayed, a provisional award may be made. The hon. Member may rest assured that my Department will continue to do all in its power to settle cases as promptly as the circumstances will allow.