§ MR. GODFREY BARINGI beg to ask the Secretary of State for War whether he is aware that several boards of guardians have passed resolutions requesting the War Office to arrange for the weekly payment of Army pensions; and whether he can hold out any hope that these requests will be complied with in the near future.
§ THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR WAR (Mr. HALDANE,) HaddingtonThe War Office has received several resolutions on this subject from boards of guardians. As I informed the hon. Member for North Salford, on the 25th February last, arrangements have been made for monthly or weekly payment of Army pensions through boards of guardians or otherwise, in individual cases where the pensioners so desire, or when the pensioner is of such a character as to make this course desirable. But as pensions are paid quarterly in advance, to introduce universal weekly payments would not in the majority of cases be in the interests of the pensioners. The question of making weekly payments through the Post Office will be considered when the arrangements for the payment of old-age pensions are in working order.