HC Deb 11 July 1898 vol 61 c484
MR. WARNER (Stafford, Lichfield)

I beg to ask the First Lord of the Treasury what action the Government propose to take for introducing a system of old age pensions, as they now have the Report of the Committee?

MR. LEWIS

May I at the same time ask the First Lord of the Treasury whether, in view of the inability of the Committee on Old Age Pensions to accept any of the schemes submitted to them, and their failure to formulate one themselves, the Government propose to submit for the consideration of Parliament a scheme of their own, or to take any other, and, if so, what steps to redeem the most important of all the pledges made to their supporters at the last General Election?

THE FIRST LORD OF THE TREASURY

The honourable Gentlemen who put these Questions on the Paper are aware that the Report has only just been presented, and that Her Majesty's Government have not had time to consider the very important matters which are thus laid before the country. Of course, in any case the question would not be dealt, with in the course of the present Session.

MR. WARNER

Will the right honourable Gentleman make a statement before the end of the Session as to when the subject will be dealt with?

COMMANDER BETHELL (Yorks., E.R., Holderness)

was understood to ask if the right honourable Gentleman had not made a promise on the subject.