§ MR. J. RANKIN (Herefordshire, Leominster)I beg to ask the President of the Local Government Board—(1) whether the Government propose to 156 take immediate action to carry out the recommendations contained in the Summary of the Report of the Commission on the Aged Poor, especially with respect to those recommendations contained in paragraphs 2 and 7; and (2) if the Government intend to make any proposals with respect to any further inquiry into the questions of Old Age Pensions?
§ THE PRESIDENT OF THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT BOARD (Mr. HENRY CHAPLIN,) Lincolnshire, SleafordThe recommendations contained in the Summary of the Report of the Royal Commission on the Aged Poor have been receiving my consideration, and I propose to issue a Letter to Boards of Guardians directing their attention specially to the particular recommendations to which my hon. Friend refers. As to the second part of the question, this will be answered by my right hon. Friend the First Lord of the Treasury, in connection with the question of the hon. Member for East Northamptonshire.
§ MR. F. A. CHANNINGI beg to ask the First Lord of the Treasury, whether Her Majesty's Government propose to take immediate steps to institute a further Inquiry, by Royal Commission or otherwise, into the various schemes and proposals for making provision for the Aged Poor.
§ THE FIRST LORD OF THE TREASURY (Mr. ARTHUR BALFOUR, Manchester, E.)The Government are entirely in favour of the further investigation asked for by the hon. Member. An investigation was, I believe, recommended by a large majority of the Commission which sat on the subject. The principles on which further investigation should be conducted are under the consideration of Her Majesty's Government, and the investigation will take place as soon as possible.