§ 49. Mr. CHARLES PRICEasked the Prime Minister whether any declaration whatever was made by the late Lord Cross, when he first applied for a political pension, that his total income was inadequate to maintain his station in life when he was seventy-one years of age; whether, in view of the fact that Lord Cross's net personal estate has been sworn at £79,299, he will cause inquiries to be made as to what portion of this amount accrued to Lord Cross during the twenty years he drew the pension, totalling £40,760; and, if it should be found that the declaration made by Lord Cross was, in the opinion of the Treasury, contrary to fact, he will take proceedings to recover this sum from the estate for the Treasury?
§ The PRIME MINISTERLord Cross made the declaration, as required by Statute, in 1887, the year in which the pension was awarded to him. I am informed he was then 63, and not 71 years of age as stated by my hon. Friend. The reply to the rest of the question is in the negative.
§ Mr. SWIFT MacNEILLIs the right hon. Gentleman aware whether the declaration made by Lord Cross was investigated? Is he aware that in Mr. Gladstone's time—in 1883—a declaration for a pension was made, and that on investigation Mr. Gladstone came to the conclusion that the means of the applicant were abundantly sufficient to support the dignity of his position without a pension?
§ The PRIME MINISTERI was not aware of that.
§ Mr. C. PRICEIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that in the Old Age Pensions Act there is a Clause specifically stating that if a man draws a pension to which he is not entitled it is to be treated as a criminal transaction; and, secondly, if after his death it is discovered that he had been drawing a pension to which he is not entitled the amount can be recovered from his estate?
§ The PRIME MINISTERNo doubt the hon. Member is right, but it does not apply to this ease.
§ Mr. AUSTEN CHAMBERLAINArising out of the subject-matter of the question and the reply of the right hon. Gentleman, has the right hon. Gentleman had his attention called to the statement made by 1521 Lord Balfour of Burleigh in another place, and will he consider the propriety of endeavouring to find means by which a recipient of one of these pensions, who receives a temporary accession of income dependent upon his own exertions, may temporarily resign his right to the pension without forfeiting the right to resume it if his temporarily changed circumstances change again?
§ The PRIME MINISTERI will certainly consider that point.