HC Deb 21 May 1912 vol 38 cc1738-9
Colonel RAWSON

asked the President of the Local Government Board if he can see his way to introduce an Amendment to the Old Age Pensions Act permitting boards of guardians to recover the cost of the maintenance of old age pensioners who become chargeable to the common fund of the union by making it obligatory upon pension officers to pay the amount of the pension falling due to such pensioners during the period of their chargeability to the board of guardians, and that old age pensioners who go into the workhouse should have their pensions continued with a view to repaying the board of guardians the cost of maintenance?

Mr. WEDGWOOD BENN

I would refer the hon. and gallant Member to the answer given by the late Financial Secretary to the Treasury to the hon. Member for the Tewkesbury Division on the 15th November last.

Mr. GINNELL

asked in view of the complaints that some old persons fail to obtain their statutory rights owing to the inability of pension and postal officials to explain the Law and rules and elicit the facts in the Irish language, and of the fact that competent officials for this purpose are in the service where this knowledge is unnecessary, whether, in all future transfers of officials, Irish speakers will be sent to Irish-speaking districts; and whether rules under the Old Age Pensions Acts and under the National Insurance Act, printed in Irish in leaflet form, will be distributed among persons concerned whose knowledge of English is imperfect or nil?

Mr. WEDGWOOD BENN

Preference is given as far as possible to Irish-speaking officers in selecting pension officers for Irish-speaking districts. With regard to the latter part of the question I am not sure to what rules under the Old Age Pensions Act the hon. Member refers. Official organisers with a knowledge of Irish have been sent to Irish-speaking districts to explain the provisions of Part I. of the National Insurance Act and the Commissioners are making arrangements for the translation into Irish of all leaflets which would be of interest to the inhabitants of such districts.