HC Deb 19 April 1910 vol 16 cc1875-6
Mr. O'SHAUGHNESSY

asked whether Miss Ellen M'Carthy, of Cahirhayes, Abbeyfeale, in the county of Limerick, who is totally blind and helpless, was granted a pension of 5s. a week by the local sub-committee (No. in Register, 662), and that the pension officer has appealed against their decision to the Local Government Board; whether the ground of appeal is that the pension officer is calculating interest at 4 per cent, on a deposit receipt of hers, although the actual deposit rate of interest is only 2 per cent.; and, if so, whether he will notify to the officer that the basis of calculations on the deposit is the actual interest she receives from the bank, which will validate her case and instruct him to withdraw the appeal?

The FINANCIAL SECRETARY to the TREASURY (Mr. Hobhouse)

As the case is before the Local Government Board on appeal the decision as to whether or not Miss M'Carthy is entitled to a pension, and, if so, at what rate, must be left to that Department.

Mr. O'SHAUGHNESSY

May I ask the right hon. Gentleman if he did not state, in answer to a question, that the actual interest was to be calculated in deciding these cases, and not any fixed rate?

Mr. HOBHOUSE

I have answered a great many questions with respect to old age pensions, and I am afraid I cannot carry in. my mind all the questions and answers. If the hon. Gentleman wishes further information, I would ask him to put a question on the Paper.

Mr. LARDNER

May I ask the right hon. Gentleman whether it is not a fact that the pension officers only appeal from the decisions of the local committees when the decisions are favourable to the old age pensions applicants?

Mr. HOBHOUSE

That again I cannot answer. There are thousands of cases of appeals, and whether there may or may not be isolated cases of that kind one way or the other is a question which I cannot answer without notice.

Mr. THOMAS O'DONNELL

asked whether, in cases where claimants for pensions can produce no documentary evidence of age, pension officers, if satisfied that claimants are of the required age, are still compelled to appeal; if the officer does not appeal in such cases will a supervisor be sent to inquire; and has it ever occurred that this supervisor has required the pension officer to fill a form stating that, in his opinion, the claimant was disentitled on the ground of age though he had previously reported the contrary?

Mr. BIRRELL

This question appears to relate to the duties of pension officers, over whom I have no control.