HC Deb 19 June 1911 vol 27 cc29-30
Mr. GOLDSMITH

asked whether under the National Insurance Bill any additional benefits received by an insured person from an approved society would be taken into account when calculating the means of that person's income under the Old Age Pensions Act?

Mr. LLOYD GEORGE

There are nine classes of additional benefits specified in Part II. of Schedule 4, and I fear I cannot pronounce upon the interpretation of the Means Clauses of the Old Age Pensions Act in relation to each of the nine within the limits of an answer to a Parliamentary question.

Mr. WORTHINGTON-EVANS

Is it possible for the right hon. Gentleman to say whether any single one of these additional benefits will be excluded from the means of a person in calculating whether he is entitled to an old age pension or not?

Mr. LLOYD GEORGE

If the hon. Gentleman will put a question down in reference to any one I shall be very happy to give him an answer.

Mr. SCANLAN

asked if the Local Government Board have taken away from. Mrs. Margaret M'Gowan, of Gortnadrung, parish of Rossinver, barony of Cartbury, county Sligo, the old age pension allowed to her by the local pension committee, and which has been paid to her from 1st January, 1909, until the 21st May, 1911; and on what evidence the Local Government Board proceeded in annulling the decision of the pension committee?

The CHIEF SECRETARY for IRELAND (Mr. Birrell)

A question was raised by the pension officer concerning the pensioner's age and the Local Government Board on appeal decided that she had not attained the age of seventy years. The pensioner did not know the date of her birth, and could furnish no evidence of age. Her name did not appear in the return of her family in the Census of 1841 and her family could not be traced in the Census of 1851.

Mr. SCANLAN

asked upon what grounds the Local Government Board stopped payment of the pension awarded to John Healy, of Carnamodda, county Sligo?

Mr. BIRRELL

In this case a question as to the pensioner's age was raised by the pension officer, and on appeal the Local Government Board decided that Healy had not yet attained the age of seventy years. Healy was unable to furnish any evidence that he had reached the statutory age. His name did not appear in the return of his parents' family in the Census of 1841, while in the return of 1851 his age was given as nine years.