§ Mr. MUNROasked the Lord Advocate if he will consider the desirability of expediting the consideration of appeals under The Old Age Pensions Act, 1908, by the Local Government Board for Scotland?
§ The LORD ADVOCATE (Mr. Ure)The Local Government Board have not, in my opinion, shown any want of expedition in dealing with appeal cases of which only 3 per cent, remained unsettled up to the end of May last. I shall be glad to do anything in my power to expedite any particular case which my hon. Friend may have in view.
Mr. CATHCART WASONasked the Lord Advocate if his attention has been directed to the fact that there are nine appeals against the decisions of the pension committee of Orkney which have been before the Local Government Board (Scotland) for over six months; and if, in view of the circumstances of the applicants, every effort will be made to deal with the different cases at an early date?
§ Mr. UREI am aware that the decision of the Local Government Board for Scotland on several appeals from Orkney has been delayed owing to the complicated and difficult nature of the questions that fell to be decided. In practically every case to which the hon. Member refers the Board have had to consider important questions of principle, on which they had to be guided by the opinion of the Law Officers of the Crown, and the delay was unavoidable. The cases referred to have either been or are in course of being disposed of.