HC Deb 30 October 1911 vol 30 cc524-6
Mr. BARNSTON

asked the President of the Local Government Board if, when a person over seventy years of age applies for an old age pension owing to a breakdown in health, the pension committee have not power, during the time inquiries are being made, to make the pension retrospective to the time when the application was made; and, if so, will he take steps to remedy this state of affairs, which presses on those who have suffered owing to their own industry by continuing work after seventy years of age?

The PRESIDENT of the LOCAL GOVERNMENT BOARD (Mr. Burns)

An old age pension cannot be made to take effect from a date earlier than that specified in Section 5 (2) of the Act of 1908—namely, the first Friday after the claim has been allowed, or, in the case of a claim provisionally allowed, the first Friday after the day on which the claimant will become entitled.

Mr. BARNSTON

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that in many cases pensions which are applied for owing to a breakdown in health are not obtained for two months, whereas if the applicants had not been so industrious they would have received their pensions months before?

Mr. BURNS

We do our best, and the pension officers are advised to do the same, and to see there is no unnecessary delay. We could not concede the point pressed by the hon. Gentleman.

Mr. DORIS

asked whether the necessary printed forms of claim, etc., under the Old Age Pensions Act, 1911, have yet been issued to the Inland Revenue and Post Office Departments in Ireland; whether claims for pensions, or increases of pensions, under Section 2 (2) of the Act addressed to Inland Revenue officers in Mayo county are withheld from the local pension sub-committee because they have not been made on official forms, which are not yet available; and whether steps will be taken to ensure that deserving claimants shall suffer no loss by the delay in issuing such forms?

Mr. McKINNON WOOD

It is expected that the printed forms of claim will be issued to the Post Office in Ireland this week. With regard to the latter part of the question I will make inquiries and inform the hon. Member of the result.

Mr. CRUMLEY

asked why the Local Government Board disallowed a pension granted by the local pension sub-committee to Mrs. M'Manus, of Aughamula-doney, county Fermanagh, on the grounds that she was not the statutory age, although she produced an official record showing that she was over seventy years old?

The VICE-PRESIDENT of the DEPARTMENT of AGRICULTURE (Mr. Russell)

No official record was produced by Mrs. M'Manus, but she submitted an old book, published in 1843, containing an entry purporting to show that she was born in 1837. The entry appeared to have been made some years after 1843, and as claimant's age was given in the Census Return of 1851 as five years, and no other satisfactory evidence as to her age was forthcoming, the Local Government Board were not satisfied that she had attained the statutory age.

Mr. CRUMLEY

asked the Chief Secretary if he can state on what grounds an old age pension of 5s. per week, granted by the local pension sub-committee to James Gorman, of Treenmore, Dromore, county Tyrone, was reduced by the Local Government Board on appeal to 3s. per week; and can he furnish the details of the pension officer's estimate of the income of Gorman, whose only means of livelihood is a small holding of inferior mountain land, for which he pays a yearly rent of £3 12s.?

Mr. RUSSELL

The Local Government Board allowed James Gorman a pension of three shillings a week only as they considered his means were not less than £23 12s. 6d. a year. He is the tenant of a farm of twelve acres of land of moderate quality, carrying crops of potatoes, oats and hay, together with a cow, calf and poultry. The Board are not bound by a pension officer's estimate of income.

Mr. DORIS

asked why the Local Government Board on appeal disallowed an old age pension granted by the Louisburgh, county Mayo, pension sub-committee to Ellen Sammon, née Gordon, of Askelane, Louisburgh, who, being unable to procure evidence of the date of her birth, produced a certificate that she was married in April 1861, over fifty years ago, which, with the evidence of several old persons, satisfied the committee that she was over seventy years old; and what further evidence the Local Government Board require in such cases?

Mr. RUSSELL

I would refer the hon. Member to my reply to a similar question asked by him on the 7th August last.