MR. GIBSON BOWLESI beg to ask the President of the Local Government Board whether the Poor Law machinery of the country has lately been used for the purpose of enumerating in various districts of England and Wales the number of persons over certain ages with a view to ascertaining data for an old age pensions scheme; whether a copy of the cards issued to enumerators and the instructions to the various officials engaged, together with the results of the enumeration, will be laid upon the Table of the House; and whether the cost of 738 enumeration will be defrayed from local or Imperial funds.
§ THE PRESIDENT OF THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT BOARD (Mr. CHAPLIN, Lincolnshire, Sleaford)I am taking steps to obtain information bearing on certain questions raised in connection with the Report of the Select Committee on the Aged and Deserving Poor, and the clerks to certain poor law unions have rendered their assistance. In reply to the second paragraph there will be no objection to laying the information desired by the hon. Member on the Table. The cost of the enumeration will be borne by Imperial funds.