§ Mr. ARTHUR LYNCHasked the Secretary to the Treasury whether he accepts as correct the estimate of the pension officer of Kilrush who considers £52 per annum as fair value of the cost of maintenance, in a small farmer's home, of the father and mother of the farmer; and whether he is aware that authorities possessing local knowledge give the estimate at about £18 per annum?
§ The FINANCIAL SECRETARY to the TREASURY (Mr. Hobhouse)The particulars given in the question do not enable me to identify the case or cases which the hon. Member has in mind, and I have therefore no means of forming an opinion on the estimate referred to, nor would any useful purpose be served by my doing so, as the determination of the means of a pensioner or claimant for a pension rests entirely with the local pension committee, or the Local Government Board on appeal.
§ Mr. ARTHUR LYNCHasked whether instructions have been issued to Mr. Martyn, pension officer, of Kilrush, to disallow as many old age pensions as possible, even of those that had been already granted; and whether, in that case, Mr. Martyn will be directed to produce more substantial evidence as to age than his own personal opinion?
§ Mr. HOBHOUSEThe answer to the first question is in the negative, and the second, therefore, does not arise.
§ Mr. ARTHUR LYNCHasked what is the cause of the delay in dealing with the application by Mrs. O'Connor, of Knockerra, Killimer, county Clare, for a pension under the Old Age Pensions Act?
§ Mr. HOBHOUSENo trace can be found of an application for an old age pension having been made by Mrs. O'Connor.