asked the Minister for Defence whether recipients of pensions and allowances issued by his Department have suffered any curtailment in the amount of such pensions and allowances as a result of an increase in social welfare benefits, and, if so, if he will take such steps as are necessary to ensure that such cuts are restored retrospectively.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Cuts in Military Service Pensions and Allowances.
Since 1943, when special allowances were introduced, the directions governing the assessment of means for the purpose of such allowances have provided that, in calculating the yearly means of a person, one-half of the amount of disability pension and the full amount of a widow's pension must be reckoned as means. Accordingly, it was necessary to reduce, by approximately one-half of the amount of the increase granted in disability allowances as from the 3rd September, 1956, and the full amount of the increase granted in a widow's (contributory) pension as from the 7th September, 1956, the special allowances of persons who were in receipt of such allowances and who were also in receipt of disability pensions or widows' (contributory) pensions.
I do not propose to take any steps to alter the present position regarding the calculation of means in such cases.
Would the Minister consider taking similar steps to those taken under similar circumstances by the Minister for Health when he made an Order ensuring that these increased insurance benefits would not lose in the cutting down of pensions and allowances?
The special allowances are in a different category altogether. The special allowance is designed as an appropriate sum to prevent hardship in certain cases. These allowances were in operation since 1943.