§ MR. DALZIEL (Kirkcaldy)I beg to ask the Secretary to the Treasury 1422 whether he will state the date on which Sir Michael Hicks-Beach notified to the Treasury his desire to cease drawing a political pension; and the date on which an application was received from Mr. Gerald Balfour applying to be placed on the pension list.
§ MR. MCKENNASir Michael Hicks-Beach resigned his pension on December 1st, 1905. Mr. Gerald Balfour applied for his on the 5th idem.
§ MR. SWIFT MACNEILLCan any arrangement be made whereby Mr. Gerald Balfour's salary as a company director may be deducted from the amount of his pension?
§ MR. MCKENNANo, Sir; no such arrangement can be made?
§ MR. DALZIELAre we to understand that the applicant applied four days after the previous pension had been withdrawn, and is it the case that Sir Michael Hicks-Beach continued to draw his pension on the ground of poverty after he had been paid £100,000 for Salisbury Plain?
§ MR. MCKENNAI do not think poverty is the ground put forward. It is quite true that Mr. Gerald Balfour applied for his pension four days after Sir Michael Hicks-Beach had resigned his, but I do not think Mr. Gerald Balfour would have been likely to apply for that pension until his Government went out of office.
§ MR. DALZIELWas there any understanding in regard to the peerage being granted when this pension was given up?
§ MR. MCKENNANone, so far as I am aware.
§ MR. MORTON (Sutherland)What is the nature of the declaration a Minister has to make when he receives a political pension?
§ MR. SPEAKERThe hon. Member should give notice of that Question.