§ Mr. THOMAS O'DONNELLasked the Secretary to the Treasury whether pension officers are appointed by the Treasury; whether such officer is denned by the regulations of August, 1908, as the pension officer to whom any claim is referred; and, if so, by what authority have the Board of Customs and Excise appointed supervisors to see that the investigation of claims by the pension officer has been properly made?
§ The FINANCIAL SECRETARY to the TREASURY (Mr. Hobhouse)The answer to the first question is in the affirmative. The provisional regulations of 20th August, 1908, define the term "pension officer" as used in those regulations as the pension officer to whom any claim is referred. Those provisional regulations have, however, been superseded by the substantive regulations, dated 15th October, 1908, in which no such definition occurs. All persons for the time being holding the appointments of supervisor or officer of Excise were appointed pension officers by Treasury Minute dated the 2nd October, 1908, and the powers exercised by supervisors are governed by that appointment and by the instructions of the Commissioners of Customs and Excise under Article 34 of the Old Age Pensions Regulations, dated 15th October, 1908, to which I have already referred.