§ MR. SNOWDEN (Blackburn)I beg to ask Mr. Chancellor of the Exchequer if his attention has been called to the inquest held last week at Birmingham on the death of Henry Mortished, a Revenue Officer, whose death it was alleged was due to excessive work in connection with old-age pensions; and whether, in view of the pressure of this 269 work, about which there are loud complaints among the pensions officers, he will appoint an additional number of officers for the work.
§ THE CHANCELLOR OF THE EXCHEQUER (Mr. LLOYD-GEORGE,) Carnarvon BoroughsI have seen a newspaper report of the inquest, from which it appears that a verdict of "accidental death" was returned in the case of the deceased officer, whose death has caused deep regret among his colleagues in the public service. The work entailed by the Old-age Pensions Act is undoubtedly heavy in some districts; but I ought to point out that, while it must necessarily be exceptionally severe at first when the initial applications are being received, there is certain to be a considerable decline later when the Act is working normally. While, therefore, I have given directions that assistance should at once be given, where it is found that the officers appointed to administer the Act have more work than they can adequately perform, I have hesitated to appoint a large number of additional officers with whose services it would be necessary to dispense after a short period.
§ MR. SNOWDENHas the right hon. Gentleman made calculations or has he instructed any of his officials to ascertain whether it is physically possible for any one man to do the work between October and December? Is he aware that there are many cases in which one pension officer has 1,000 cases, spread over a wide area, and that many cases necessitate two or three visits?
§ MR. LLOYD-GEORGEI have no doubt that the pressure will be very severe during the next three months. We have between 500,000 and 600,000 applicants; but that is a purely temporary state of affairs due to the fact that we are beginning a new operation. Three or four months hence an officer, instead of having to deal with 1,000 cases, will probably have to deal with only ten or a dozen.
§ MR. SNOWDENI quite admit what the right hon. Gentleman says; but in 270 the meantime are these men to be killed?
§ MR. LLOYD-GEORGEI have already told the hon. Member that where there is exceptional strain of this character, wherever it is brought to our notice, we are dealing with it; and if any officer really feels that he is being overworked he has only to make out a case.