§ Mr. Alfred MorrisTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many claims for war pension on the basis, or partly on the basis, of psychiatric disability made between 1962 and 1980 were disallowed for the reason that the disability was not regarded as attributable to war service by virtue of its nature being a medical diagnosis of psychosis schizophrenia; in how many of such claims the refusal of pension or reduction in award has been reviewed in the light of his Department's acceptance of post-traumatic stress disorder as an accepted diagnosis leading to psychiatric disability; how many such reviews have led to war pension being paid in respect of such disability; and in how many such cases of successful review arrears of war pension, on the basis of such disability, have been paid for periods of disability prior to 1980.
§ Miss WiddecombeThe information requested is not readily available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
§ Mr. Alfred MorrisTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what would be the total cost of paying full arrears of war pension to those claimants now regarded as entitled by virtue of a diagnosis of post-traumatic stress disorder calculating those arrears as from the date of their disability instead of from 1980.
§ Miss WiddecombeAwards of war pension in respect of conditions accepted as attributable to service which could be described as "post-traumatic stress disorders"—for instance, conditions formerly diagnosed as "anxiety state" or neurasthenia—have normally been made from the date of claim. The date of 1980 for the payment of arrears of war pension is of significance only in so far as claims in respect of schizophrenia are concerned.