§ Mr. PATRICK O'BRIENasked Mr. Chancellor of the Exchequer whether, having regard to the instructions lately given that census searches into the ages of persons already awarded pensions, due measures have been taken to have the applications for searches from pension officers made separately for each of the two classes in question and the class to which any particular application refers plainly indicated; whether it has been made clear that all searches for ages of new claimants, whether already or hereafter sent up, are to have precedence over the extensive searches into cases already decided, sent in, and in arrear, before the recent in-instructions in question were given; whether, in dealing with extracts from the census referring to pensioners and claimants, allowance is made for the probability that a person stated to be a particular number of years with no odd months was in reality that age last birthday, and might be practically a year older at the date of the census; and whether he is aware that the probability in question was in no wise altered by the exact age, month, and years being stated in the case of other members of the family, especially aged three and under.
§ Mr. HOBHOUSE (for the Chancellor of the Exchequer)The very large number of claims which have been received since the beginning of the current calendar month from persons whose title to pension in respect of age is more than doubtful have made the procedure in respect of new claims peculiarly difficult, but precedence has been given to searches in respect of new claimants, as far as it has been possible to do so. Further steps are now being taken to expedite the dealing with such claims. The determination of the 1525 age of a claimant is a matter for the Pension Committee, or, on appeal, for the Central Pension Authority.