§ Sir WALTER NUGENTasked Mr. Chancellor of the Exchequer if a number of old men in Ireland to whom pensions had been granted have recently been deprived of those pensions on the grounds that they had misstated their age; and if any disqualifications which had occurred were due to the fact that instructions had been given to pension officers to rely solely on the census returns as evidence of age when birth certificates could not be obtained '?
§ Mr. HOBHOUSEA certain number of old age pensioners in Ireland have been disqualified for the reason stated in the first part of the question. In the absence of other satisfactory documentary evidence of age, there has been no alternative but to fall back upon the census returns, and instructions have been given to pension officers accordingly.
§ Mr. BOWLESWill the hon. Gentleman say whether these disqualifications have been made in each case by the pensions committee?
§ Mr. HOBHOUSEIt is really impossible for me to say where there are a great many what has been done in a particular case without notice.
§ Mr. JOHN REDMONDIs it not the practice to refer the matter back to the pensions committee?
§ Mr. HOBHOUSEI understand that is so.
§ Mr. BOWLESHas this disqualification been made in each case by the pensions committee?
§ Mr. HOBHOUSEIt is impossible for me to say what has been done in any particular case in a great number of cases.
§ Mr. JOHN REDMONDHas any single pension been rescinded?
§ Mr. HOBHOUSEI did not catch the hon. and learned Gentleman's question.
§ Mr. JOHN REDMONDAs a matter of fact has any single pension granted in Ireland been taken away, and, if so, has it been done by the machinery of referring it back to the pensions committee and a reference to the Local Government Board?
§ Mr. HOBHOUSEIf the hon. And learned Gentleman will put the question on the Paper, I will answer it.
§ Sir WALTER NUGENTOn what evidence, other than birth certificates, are old age pensions granted? The hon. Gentleman says there is no evidence except the census returns, but there must have been other evidence, otherwise the pensions would not have been granted originally.
§ Mr. HOBHOUSEIn cases where there was no other evidence the officers had to fall back upon the census returns as some evidence.
§ Mr. JOHN REDMONDThat was not the only evidence.
§ Mr. J. J. MOONEYIs the hon. Gentleman aware that the President of the Local Government said that in one case the only evidence of birth was a sampler?
§ Mr. HOBHOUSEI am not.
§ Mr. JEREMIAH MacVEAGHCan the hon. Gentleman say what evidence is required in cases where there is no record in the census returns?