§ MR. SNOWDENTo ask Mr. Chancellor of the Exchequer if he is aware that the Commissioners of Inland Revenue have instructed the pension officers that receipt of poor relief by a husband will not in their opinion disqualify his wife for receipt for an old-age pension; is he aware that this is one of the points on. which the Local Government Board has not made up its mind; and will he say if the Commissioners of Inland Revenue or the Local Government Board is the authority for deciding points of law under the Old-Age Pensions Act.
(Answered by Mr. Hobhouse.) Neither the pension officer nor the Commissioners of Inland Revenue have any power to decide questions under the Old-Age Pensions Act. The decision upon all such questions, whether of law or facts, rests under the Act with the local pension committee subject to appeal to the Local Government Board. As regards the particular point raised in the Question I understand that my right hon. friend the President of the Local Government Board is advised that, in cases in which a husband has received poor relief for, or on account of, his wife, the wife as well as the husband is disqualified. Pension officers have now been instructed accordingly.