§ Mr. O'SULLIVANasked the Chief Secretary whether he was aware that the Scartaglen pension committee granted a pension to Matthew Lenihan, of Knocknaboul, in East Kerry, on 5th November, 1909, and that, on appeal by the pension officer, the Local Government Board disallowed the claim; and whether he would state the grounds on which this decision was arrived at?
§ Mr. REDMOND BARRYThe Local Government Board upheld the pension officer's appeal on the ground that, in their opinion, the claimant's maintenance on the farm which he had assigned to his son was worth more than £31 10s. a year.
§ Mr. THOMAS O'DONNELLasked the Chief Secretary for Ireland whether he will state the number of appeals to the Local Government Board by pension officers on the grounds of claimant's age not being found on the Census Returns, there being no other documentary evidence; what steps are taken or inquiries made by the Board, on the appeal, before they arrive at their decision; and in how many such appeals have pensions been confirmed by the Local Government Board?
§ Mr. REDMOND BARRYThe Local Government Board are not in a position to supply the figures asked for. Before coming to a decision in cases such as are referred to, the Board invariably communicate with the claimants notifying the grounds of appeal and inviting them to supply any available evidence or information in support of their claims.
§ Mr. FLAVINIs it not the fact that the Local Government Board invariably give no reason whatever for the decision on appeals by pension officers?
§ Mr. REDMOND BARRYThey simply announce their decisions.
§ Mr. FLAVINThey give no information?
§ Mr. THOMAS O'DONNELLI do not think he has answered the first question; is there a case taken under those conditions where, the Local Government Board have granted the pension?
§ Mr. GINNELLasked the Secretary to the Treasury whether, when a local committee reduces an old age pension and the pensioner appeals against the decision, the former pension is continued until the decision of the Local Government Board on the appeal reaches the local committee and the pensioner; and if he will say on whose authority the 5s. pension book of Bernard Molloy, of Coole, Westmeath, was taken from him last November and a 3s. book subsequently supplied to him, though no decision on the appeal has yet been received by either the local committee or the pensioner?
§ The FINANCIAL SECRETARY to the TREASURY (Mr. Hobhouse)The usual practice up to the present in the cases referred to in the first part of the question has been to continue payment at the higher rate. In view, however, of the fact that, if the appeal goes against the pensioner, he is liable to repay the difference between the higher and lower rate for the period during which the question has beensub judice,and may have his pension suspended altogether for several weeks on this account, I am considering whether in such cases it will not be better in the interests of the pensioner himself to make payment during the interval at the rate to which, upon the finding of the committee, the pensioner is primâ facieentitled, leaving the balance which will become due if the appeal is successful to be paid when the appeal has been decided. As regards the case of Bernard Molloy referred to in the second part of the question, it appears from inquiries made that the pension officer was not aware that the pensioner had himself appealed against the decision of the pension committee reducing his pension from 5s. to 3s. per week. He therefore exchanged the 5s. book to one for 3s.