§ 96. Mr. JOWETTasked the Secretary to the Treasury whether persons becoming qualified for old age pensions are refused the pensions or receive reduced amounts by reason of the allowance made by soldier sons, while those already in receipt of old age pensions continue, to receive them without any deduction, although the amount of the allowances made by soldier sons raises their income above the statutory limit; and, if so, on what grounds is this differentiation made?
§ The FINANCIAL SECRETARY to the TREASURY (Mr. McKinnon wood)In calculating the means of a claimant to an old age pension the pension authorities are bound under the law to take into consideration the whole of the present means of the claimant, and there is no power to abrogate the provisions of the law in this respect. In the case of existing pensioners a recalculation of the means only arises on a question which may be raised by the pension officer, and the Government have decided that in certain cases where the means of pensioners are increased temporarily during the War the pension officers may refrain from raising questions.