Part of the debate – in the House of Commons at 12:00 am on 31 May 1945.
I think, with great respect to the hon. Member, that he does not quite understand the point put by my hon. Friend the Member for Ipswich (Mr. Stokes). It is true that no one can reasonably ask the War Office to deal with grievances if they arise in the administration of the Ministry of Pensions. What is being said is that when the War Office makes up its mind that a man will not be fit for service again, instead of waiting until his treatment is complete, and maintaining him on Army pay and allowances until that date, and then transferring him to the Ministry of Pensions, it transfers him to the Ministry of Pensions too early. On that point it is surely perfectly relevant to say to the War Office: "Look at the result of what you do if you take that course. You take the man from a position in which he has his pay and dependants' allowances, and put him in a position in which at a stroke his emoluments are reduced, and he has to make a large contribution to his treatment." I do not think the hon. Gentleman can complain of that. It is a relevant part of the whole grievance.