Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, I wish to inform the House that at present, persons with disabilities are entitled to an invalid basic pension or a disability allowance after an assessment is carried out by a medical board, which falls under the aegis of the medical unit of my Ministry. The basic invalid pension is granted based on the degree of disability associated with the medical condition for a definite period ranging from one year to five years, and in some cases, permanently. In regard to part (a) of the question, the number of beneficiaries of invalidity pension, as well as the number of cases where payment thereof has been stopped for the period of January 2024 to December 2025 on a yearly basis is as follows – • Year 2024, the total number of beneficiaries was 31,904, and the total number of beneficiaries whose pensions have been stopped was 4,168; • For 2025, the total number of beneficiaries was 31,262, and the total number of beneficiaries whose pension have been stopped was 3,801. The possible reasons for pensions being stopped are as follows – (a) The applicant no more meets the criteria set out in the present medical guidelines, and these vary from case to case; (b) The beneficiaries are granted basic invalid pension for a defined period without re-boarding reassessment, such as pacemaker, fracture, etc.; (c) Some beneficiaries did not appear at the medical board for renewable despite being convened and reconvened twice; (d) Some beneficiaries reached pension age and thus receive Basic Retirement Pension; (e) Some beneficiaries have passed away, and (f) Some beneficiaries are abroad for a period of more than six months. Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, with regard to part (b), first, I am informed that all applications for invalidity pension are examined by a medical board consisting of two general practitioners in accordance with the existing medical guidelines. All applications, including long-term chronic diseases, acquired long-term disabilities, or inborn disorders are assessed based on the degree of disability associated with the medical condition and not on the basis of the medical condition itself. In this respect, applications are not allowed or discontinued where the degree of disability assessed does not meet the prescribed threshold in the medical guidelines. Those suffering from mild or moderate disabilities usually do not satisfy the eligibility criteria, and hence, are not allowed when boarded or assessed. Precise statistics as requested by the hon. Member of the number of persons suffering from long-term chronic diseases, acquired long-term disabilities, and inborn disorders who have been rejected, that is, disallowed or discontinued, are not available at this stage. The specific data disaggregation and collection is being reorganised. However, I can give the hon. Member some indicative statistics. First, the number of new applications related to long-term chronic diseases, acquired long-term disabilities, and inborn disorders which have been rejected for the period of January 24 to December 2025 on a yearly basis is as follows – • For year 2024, the total number of such application disallowed and rejected is 44 out of 10,064, and • For year 2025, 72 such applications out of 9,795. Second, I have indicative figures for the number of beneficiaries whose pensions were related to long-term chronic diseases, acquired long-term disabilities, and inborn disorders and which have been discontinued. The figure is around 5% of the yearly number of beneficiaries. Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, I wish to state that the assessment process is carried out on the basis of the medical guidelines which dates back to 2016, and which is being updated in the first phase of the disability pension reform. We are now processing for the clearance of the Ministry of Finance for this much awaited and much needed reform. Thank you, Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir.

Yes, hon. Dr. Aumeer.

Thank you, Mr Deputy Speaker. Sir. May I ask hon. Minister whether, the medical unit at his Ministry, has given him information as to the basis of rejection of gentlemen and ladies with inborn incapacity or long-term acquired deficiencies, for example, epilepsy or those having chronic cancer conditions, whether this initial basis of rejection was made on an objective basis or a subjective assessment?

The information provided is from the medical unit, and whether the assessment is objective or not, I'm not in a position to give my views on this. It is the Medical Board. Let me remind the hon. Member that any person who is dissatisfied with the Medical Board can go to the Medical Tribunal where there are specialists and even to the Supreme Court for appealing, which has never been done up to now.

Yes!

Thank you, hon. Minister. May I ask the hon. Minister, in a spirit of compassion to the people who depend on invalidity pension, does the medical unit not consider it deem fit to avoid the recourse to appeals and tribunal? At the very outset, assessments that are made at the residence of people, done specifically by medical officers, who have the experience and knowledge, are they able to reject it outright? Or to accept it so as to avoid these people to go unnecessarily to the medical appeal and the board when afterwards, it is overturned? Thank you.

I take on board your proposal. This would be taken in the second phase of the reform. But let me add that the number of cases accepted at the level of the medical board has increased by 5% during the course of this Government. So, there are less appeals right now. For specialised doctors, normally, now, they are medical doctors employed by the Social Security Unit of my Ministry and the Medical Unit. The new system of assessment will change completely. It will be qualitatively new. This will be in the second phase of the reform. The work is in progress, and there is progress. Thank you.

One rejected case.

Your supplementary, hon. François!

Yes, if you allow me, Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir.

Just one question.

Yes, sure. Will the hon. Minister be able to confirm or state or table the specific number or statistics of beneficiaries whose invalidity pensions have stopped for Rodrigues? For the mentioned period specifically.

I do not have this statistic. I do not have it. I think it's under the RRA. I will check it. But for the medical board, it's under the RRA. The medical appeal is under my Ministry. I take this opportunity to reply to you to say that the Medical Appeal Tribunal, which we talked in the last session, will be going to Rodrigues in mid-June.

The hon. Second Member for Mahebourg and Plaine Magnien! FISHERMAN REGISTRATION CARD – SUSPENSION, REVOCATION & ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA