§ Mr. SNOWDENasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will, when framing legislation to amend the Old Age Pensions Act, give favourable consideration to the cases of widows of unnaturalised foreigners, who are themselves British born, but who are now ineligible for an old age pension because the British law has attached to them the nationality of their husbands?
§ Mr. LLOYD GEORGEI will be glad to consider the point.
§ Mr. SNOWDENFavourably?
§ Mr. SNOWDENasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he has received any expressions of approval from Poor Law or other local authorities of his proposal to call upon the Poor Law authorities to partially recoup the Treasury for the cost of removing the Poor Law disqualification from the Old Age Pensions Act; and has he any reason at all to believe that his proposal will be acceptable to the local bodies?
§ Mr. LLOYD GEORGEMy experience as Chancellor of the Exchequer—and I think any of my predecessors in that office will bear me out—does not lead me to expect that many persons will be at pains to intimate their anxiety that a charge which they now bear should not be removed from them and placed on other shoulders. But I have received from many quarters expressions of hope that the Government will proceed as soon as possible with their scheme for insurance against sickness, invalidity, etc., and that would be altogether impracticable unless the arangement which I have foreshadowed can be carried out.
§ Mr. SNOWDENCan the right hon. Gentleman say if he has received any representations from the local authorities against the proposal?
§ Mr. LLOYD GEORGEThat is not the question which the hon. Member puts. I shall be glad to inquire, but I should not be a bit surprised.
§ Mr. C. BATHURSTMay I ask the right hon. Gentleman whether he still regards this as a relief of local taxation?
§ Mr. LLOYD GEORGECertainly; a very considerable relief of local taxation.
§ Mr. SNOWDENasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if his proposal for the partial recoupment by the Treasury of the cost of paying old age pensions to those, otherwise eligible, now disqualified through the receipt of Poor Law relief will require legislation; and, if so, when will the Bill be introduced?
§ Mr. LLOYD GEORGEThe answer to the first part of the question is in the affirmative. As regards the latter part, I cannot yet say when the Bill will be introduced.