New hope for war pensioners

Hopes of victory for thousands of war pensioners who have been denied benefits for hearing loss were raised again yesterday by the new minister of social security in the Lords, Baroness Hollis.

Lady Hollis announced she was ordering a review of the medical evidence on hearing loss for war pensioners in the wake of a row earlier this year when the Tories introduced tighter rules. The change in the rules provoked an outcry from the Royal British Legion when it was introduced, and led to angry protests from Tory backbench MPs. Colin Brown