§ Mr. LARDNERasked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury if any instructions have been issued to pension officers, in calculating the incomes of applicants for old age pensions, to estimate what they are likely to receive in charity during a year; whether he is aware that in Ireland 1733 certain pension officers, in calculating the income in such cases, have set out in their calculation a sum representing charitable gifts which the applicant is likely to receive; and whether he approves of this course?
§ Mr. HOBHOUSEIt is the duty of the pension officer to inform the Pension Committee of the full facts in regard to the means of a claimant to an old age pension; and I see no reason for not approving of the action taken by the pension officers in question. Whether what are described in the question as "charitable gifts" should be taken into account in estimating the means of the claimant is a question for the decision of the Committee or of the Local Government Board on appeal. I may say, however, that there is nothing in the Old Age Pensions Act to warrant the exclusion of such gifts from the estimate of means merely on the ground that they are "charitable."
§ Mr. LARDNERWill the right hon. Gentleman answer that part of the question as to whether instructions have been issued to pension officers that in calculating the incomes of applicants for old age pensions they are to include charity as one of the means of income?
§ Mr. HOBHOUSENo; I pointed out that charities are not yet excluded; but no definite instructions either way have been given to the pension officers.