HC Deb 08 August 1899 vol 76 cc165-6
SIR HOWARD VINCENT (Sheffield, Central)

I beg to ask the President of the Local Government Board if it is possible to form any approximate estimate of the total annual cost to the country of the proposals of the Select Committee upon the Aged Deserving Poor, or from what source it may be practicable to raise the required millions.

THE SECRETARY TO THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT BOARD (Mr. T. W. RUSSELL,) Tyrone, S.

It is only a very few days since the Report of the Select Committee was issued, and I can only refer my hon. friend to paragraph 58 of their Report, in which the views of the Committee are stated upon the question which he puts to me. Nothing has occurred since then to enable me to add anything to the statements they made.

SIR HOWARD VINCENT

May I ask my hon. friend if he will move the President of the Local Government Board to cause the calculations to be made as soon as possible, in order that the country may judge what additional taxation is necessary?

MR. T. W. RUSSELL

That is a question for the President of the Local Government Board.

SIR HOWARD VINCENT

But will my hon. friend move him in the matter?

(No answer was given.)

MR. LEWIS (Flint Boroughs)

I beg to ask the First Lord of the Treasury whether a Committee of competent experts will be appointed to inquire during the recess into the number of applicants who would be eligible for pensions, and the cost that the pensions would entail, on the basis of the proposal recommended by the Select Committee on the Aged Deserving Poor.

MR. T. W. RUSSELL

The Government fully intend to examine the statistics connected with this subject during the recess.