§ 86. Mr. McKayasked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance what revisions have been made in the pensions of the limbless veterans of the 1914–18 War since 1919; and what is the difference between the pensions paid to these pensioners of the 1914–18 War and those with similar disabilities arising from the 1939–45 War.
§ Mr. PeakeThese pensioners have benefited from the increase in the basic rates of war disablement pensions in 1946, 1952 and this year. Over 4,000 of them received increases in 1947 as a result of the revision of assessments of disable-252W ment following the recommendations of an expert committee, and many have qualified for one or more of the various supplements to war pensions introduced since the last war; in addition, many have had their pensions raised because their war disablement has grown worse or they have incurred a further disability connected with it. Amputations are assessed in the same way for pensioners of both wars, except that in two types of cases the expert Committee recommended decreases which were not applied to the pensioners of the 1914–18 War.
§ 87. Mr. McKayasked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance whether he is prepared to consider raising the pensions of the limbless veterans of the 1914–18 War.
§ Mr. PeakeI am unable to add anything to the reply given by the Joint Parliamentary Secretary to the hon. Members for Fife, West (Mr. Hamilton) and Sunderland, North (Mr. Willey) on the 31s Ocober.