§ Mr. Lunnasked the Minister of Health who are the members of the appeals tribunal in Yorkshire to whom appeals for supplementary pensions will be sent; when and where will their meetings be held; will they be paid for their services; and at what rate per day?
Mr. M. MacDonaldThe Old Age and Widows' Pensions Act, 1940, provides that the appeal tribunals set up under the Unemployment Assistance Act, 1934, are to act for the purpose of dealing with appeals in relation to supplementary pensions. There is an appeal tribunal for each Assistance Board area office, or468W group of offices, and meetings of tribunals will be held promptly as they are required at convenient places. The Act provides that there shall be paid to the Chairmen and Acting Chairmen of tribunals such remuneration as the Board may, after consultation with the Minister of Labour and with the consent of the Treasury, determine: and that there shall be paid to members of tribunals, after similar consultation and consent, such travelling and other expenses (including compensation for the loss for remunerative time) as the Board may determine. The Board have arranged that the fees payable to Chairmen and Acting Chairmen of tribunals shall be at the rate of £2 12s. 6d. for a sitting of more than one and a half hours, and £1 11s. 6d. for a sitting of one and a half hours or less. If the hon. Member will let me know for which area he wishes to know the names of the members of the tribunal and their address I will make inquiries and communicate with him.
§ Mr. Joelasked the Minister of Health the approximate estimated number of old age pensioners living alone who will be accorded, under the Old Age and Widows' Pensions Act of 1940, the basic rate of 19s. 6d.?