asked the Minister for Defence the number of persons who were awarded disability pensions under the Military Service Pensions Acts, 1924 and 1934, the number of such pensions granted in each of the years 1924, 1930, 1936, 1940 and 1950, and the number of such pensions and the cost for the last financial year for which the figures are available.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Military Service Pensions Statistics.
Disability pensions are not awarded under the Military Service Pensions Acts. I assume, therefore, that the Deputy is referring to awards made under the Army Pensions Acts, 1923 to 1960, under which claims for wound and disability pensions are dealt with.
I should explain that these Acts provide for the award of wound and disability pensions not only in respect of service during the 1916-1923 period in which, presumably, the Deputy is principally interested, but also in respect of service in the Defence Forces since the 1st October, 1923. It was not possible to compile, within the time available, the total number of pensions awarded under the Army Pensions Acts in each of the years which the Deputy mentions but, if it will help him, I can have these numbers compiled and sent to him in the near future.
The number of wound and disability pensions at present on pay under the Army Pensions Acts, 1923 to 1960, is 1,214 and the cost of such pensions in the financial year ended 31st March, 1960, was £161,474. In addition, during the same period, dependants' allowances and gratuities amounting to £68,606 were paid under the Acts.
25.
asked the Minister for Defence if he will state in respect of the Military Service Pensions Acts, 1924 and 1934 (a) the total number of persons who qualified for pensions under each of these Acts and (b) the total amounts paid in each year from the year of enactment to date in respect of pensions under each Act.
The information requested by the Deputy in the first part of the question is as follows:—
1924 Act |
4,250 |
1934 Act |
13,933 |
The information requested in the second part of the question is in the form of a tabular statement and I propose, a Cheann Comhairle, with your permission to have it circulated with the official report. I should explain that the amounts shown up to and including the financial year 1933-1934 relate entirely to pensions payable under the 1924 Act. The amounts from that onward are the totals paid under both the 1924 and 1934 Acts and it is not practicable, from available records, to segregate the payments as between the two Acts.
STATEMENT showing the cost in each of the Financial Years 1924-25 to 1959-60, inclusive, of pensions paid under the Military Service Pensions Acts, 1924 and 1934.
Year |
Cost |
||
£ |
|||
1924-25 |
2,430 |
||
1925-26 |
66,151 |
||
1926-27 |
152,380 |
||
1927-28 |
180,162 |
||
1928-29 |
141,241 |
||
1929-30 |
141,954 |
||
1930-31 |
142,245 |
||
1931-32 |
141,226 |
||
1932-33 |
141,449 |
||
1933-34 |
139,973 |
||
*1934-35 |
142,969 |
||
1935-36 |
193,332 |
||
1936-37 |
302,226 |
||
1937-38 |
409,003 |
||
1938-39 |
443,642 |
||
1939-40 |
387,165 |
||
1940-41 |
351,214 |
||
1941-42 |
444,717 |
||
1942-43 |
551,980 |
||
1943-44 |
475,647 |
||
1944-45 |
404,915 |
||
1945-46 |
402,164 |
||
1946-47 |
443,517 |
||
1947-48 |
425,489 |
||
1948-49 |
407,320 |
||
1949-50 |
384,453 |
||
1950-51 |
378,603 |
||
1951-52 |
386,298 |
||
1952-53 |
382,623 |
||
1953-54 |
647,298 |
||
1954-55 |
618,378 |
||
1955-56 |
625,016 |
||
1956-57 |
635,547 |
||
1957-58 |
598,895 |
||
1958-59 |
603,941 |
||
1959-60 |
566,084 |
* 1934 Act pensions commenced.