§ Mr. LUNDONasked when the payment of the old age pension to Ellen Hayes, of Castleconnell, county Limerick, was stopped; when was her case adjudicated on by the Local Government Board; at what date payment of the pension to her was resumed; and whether the arrears of pension, if any, due to her were paid?
§ The FINANCIAL SECRETARY to the TREASURY (Mr. Hobhouse)The pension granted to Ellen Hayes as from 15th January, 1909, was stopped by the pension 441 officer under a misapprehension, as to which I am enquiring, as from 22nd July, 1909. The case was adjudicated on by the Local Government Board on 1st February, 1910. Payment of pension was resumed on the 5th instant, and the arrears of pension due to her will be paid.
§ Mr. SCANLANasked if pension officers in Ireland have been deprived by the Board of Customs and Inland Revenue, or by the Treasury, of the right to exercise their discretion as to appeals from decisions of local pension committees; if he will state whether instructions have been given to these officers to appeal against every decision of a local pension committee granting a pension where the applicant's claim is not supported by extracts from the Census Returns; and whether he will cause these instructions to be withdrawn?
§ Mr. HOBHOUSEThe right of pension officers to exercise their discretion as to appeals is subject to Article 34 of the Statutory Regulations. The instructions with regard to cases of the kind mentioned in the second part of the question allow a discretion to pension officers whether an appeal should or should not be lodged, as I explained in reply to a question put to me by the hon. Member for West Kerry on the 5th instant. These instructions have not been altered, and accordingly the third question does not arise.
§ Mr. SCANLANIs it a fact that instructions have been given by the Treasury or the Board of Customs and Inland Revenue to the pension officers in Ireland to enter appeals in every case where pensions are granted unless there is an entry to support the claim in the Census?
§ Mr. HOBHOUSEI have already explained no instructions of that sort have been given to pension officers. Of course, every person who applies for a pension has, under the Act, to establish his or her right to that pension by some documentary evidence.
§ Mr. SCANLANDoes the right hon. Gentleman say that the Pension Act makes it obligatory upon the applicant to satisfy the requirements as to age by producing documentary evidence? I think that is absurd.
§ Mr. STEPHEN GWYNNAre the payments of the pensions suspended from the time the pension officer makes his appeal to the Local Government Board, or are 442 the pensions only suspended from the time the Local Government Board gives its decision?
§ Mr. HOBHOUSEThat particular subject is occupying my attention at the present moment.
§ Mr. MacVEAGHOn what authority does the pension officer call for documentary evidence of age?
§ Mr. HOBHOUSEIf the hon. Member consults the Act he will find it.
§ Mr. S. GWYNNWhen the Local Government Board decides in favour of the applicant, does) the Treasury pay the arrears from the time the pension has been stopped?
§ Mr. SPEAKERThe hon. Member must put that question on the Paper.
Mr. KEELYasked if Mary M'Daid, of Letterkenny, county Donegal, has recently been deprived of her pension; if so, whether he can state from what date the pension has been stopped, and on whose authority; and in what cases is a pensioner liable to be deprived of his pension after he has satisfied the Local Government Board of his eligibility?
§ Mr. HOBHOUSEThe Local Government Board decided on appeal on 11th ultimo that Mary M'Daid attained the age of seventy on 5th August, 1909. The amount of pension drawn by her prior to that date, when she was legally ineligible for pension, is a debt due to the Crown under Section 9 (2) of the Old Age Pensions Act, and, in the absence of direct repayment, is being liquidated by suspension of the current pension.
§ Mr. HOBHOUSEYes.