BACKDATING OF WAR PENSIONS

Early day motion 401, tabled 5 November 1997 by Paul Stinchcombe (Labour). Signed by 92 members.

That this House applauds Her Majesty's Government's lead in ridding the world of landmines; remembers all who have been injured, maimed or killed by landmines; notes that some World War Two veterans who were the victims of landmines were initially denied their full war pension because of past failures to recognise the symptoms and seriousness of post-traumatic stress disorder; congratulates the Royal British Legion on their efforts in bringing these cases to the attention of the War Pensions Agency, so that war pensions have in many cases now been awarded pursuant to re-applications; notes, however, that war pensions granted pursuant to re-applications made before 7 April 1997 are backdated only to the date of latest application and not to the date of injury (save where the Secretary of State for Social Security exercises discretion to backdate) and that there is no discretion whatsoever to backdate a war pension where the application was made after 7 April 1997; is concerned therefore that some veterans suffering from war injuries may be denied a war pension for considerable periods of time if they have failed promptly to re-apply for a war pension previously denied; and therefore calls upon the Secretary of State for Social Security to give sympathetic consideration to the exercise of the discretion, where it exists, to backdate a war pension in circumstances where the failure to re-apply was caused by the war injuries suffered.

Signatures by party: Labour 81, Labour/Co-operative 5, Liberal Democrat 3, Conservative 1, Plaid Cymru 1, Unknown 1.