§ Mr. J. MULDOONasked the Attorney-General whether he is aware that it is the practice of the Treasury, where a pension officer has appealed against an order granting a pension by the pension committee, to suspend payment until the appeal has been determined; whether, seeing that under the statute the order so made is an effective order until formally discharged upon appeal by the Local Government Board, he will say under what statutory or other authority this jurisdiction is conferred upon the Treasury; and whether, having regard to the delay which arises by reason of the appeal, and to the fact that resort to the Poor Law would disqualify these applicants, he proposes to take steps to prevent the practice in question from inflicting hardship and inconvenience?
§ Mr. HOBHOUSEMy hon. and learned Friend has asked me to answer this question. I explained the statutory position in my answer to the hon. Member's question on the 30th ultimo, which is that the decision of a local pension committee is only final on any claim or question which is not referred to the central pension authority. It would not be possible to issue a pension order book to a claimant until a final decision upon his claim has been given.
§ Mr. MULDOONHas the right hon. Gentleman the authority of the Law Officer for the proposition laid down?
§ Mr. HOBHOUSEOh, yes.