§ 16. Mr. TURTONasked the President of the Local Government Board if he can state whether an allowance of 4s. a week recommended by the medical officer and granted by the guardians for nursing attendance on an old age pensioner causes disqualification and discontinuance of the pension; and whether, as any such disqualification would cause hardship, he will undertake to meet the views of the local pension committees by holding that cases of this category fall within the scope of the proviso to Section 3 (1) (a) of the Old Age Pensions Act, 1908?
§ The PARLIAMENTARY SECRETARY to the LOCAL GOVERNMENT BOARD (Mr. Herbert Lewis)The answer to the first part of the question would depend largely upon the facts of the particular case. The Local Government Board hold that while the provision by the guardians of nursing attendance, recommended by the medical officer on account of any specific illness or incidentally to medical or surgical assistance, does not cause disqualification, the provision of domestic help merely on account of the infirmity of the pensioner is beyond the scope of the proviso to Section 3 (1) (a) of the Old Ago Pensions Act, 1908.