Lieut.-Commander Hutchisonasked the Minister of Pensions the number of applications which have been made for the review of cases rejected by Pensions Appeal tribunals before 1st August, 1946; how many of such applications have been successful; and whether steps are being taken to expedite the review of the cases outstanding.
§ Mr. Wilfred PalingIn all about 12,800 applications have been received. About 3,800 have been reviewed Departmentally, of which about 550 have been allowed. The Special Review Tribunals have just begun to sit and they have recommended acceptance of about 10 applications. The preparation of cases for the tribunals is both lengthy and difficult and whilst it is my desire that applications should be dealt with as quickly as possible, it will, I am afraid, take a considerable time before they can all be disposed of.
Lieut.-Commander Hutchisonasked the Attorney-General when it is intended to set up a special arbitration tribunal in Scotland
§ The Attorney-GeneralWar Pensions (Special Review) Tribunals have already been set up to hear cases throughout Great Britain and Northern Ireland. It has 169W been agreed by the authorities in England, Scotland and Northern Ireland that the War Pensions (Special Review) Tribunals set up by the Lord Chancellor in England should hear cases arising in all these countries. The tribunals are already in operation and it is intended that one of them should visit Scotland as soon as a reasonable number of Scottish cases has accumulated.