Oral Answers to Questions — Naval and Military Pensions and Grants. – in the House of Commons at on 9 October 1924.
Mr Reginald Fletcher
, Basingstoke
asked the Minister of Pensions if he has yet found it possible to take any steps in the direction of awarding life pensions to ex-service men suffering from tuberculosis as a result of their War service?
Mr. ROBERTS:
I have considered this matter with my medical advisers. I am advised that it would not be in the best interests of the men concerned to make final awards of pension on any general scale in cases of tuberculosis, having regard to the fluctuating character of this disease. It is, however, my intention to secure that, as far as possible, awards for prolonged periods shall be made in all possible cases.
Ministers make up the Government and almost all are members of the House of Lords or the House of Commons. There are three main types of Minister. Departmental Ministers are in charge of Government Departments. The Government is divided into different Departments which have responsibilities for different areas. For example the Treasury is in charge of Government spending. Departmental Ministers in the Cabinet are generally called 'Secretary of State' but some have special titles such as Chancellor of the Exchequer. Ministers of State and Junior Ministers assist the ministers in charge of the department. They normally have responsibility for a particular area within the department and are sometimes given a title that reflects this - for example Minister of Transport.
