HC Deb 23 July 1919 vol 118 cc1339-40
17. Mr. HOHLER

asked the. First Lord of the Admiralty whether any Greenwich age pensioners on attaining the age of sixty-five in the years 1916, 1917, and 1918, received the increased Greenwich age pensions of 9d. without making any application for such increase; and, if so will he give the approximate number?

Dr. MACNAMARA

Prior to the decisions of the Government, notified in Command Paper 149, it was necessary in the case of the age pensions to make awards by selection from the eligible candidates, in consequence of the limited funds annually available. Men in receipt of age pensions who had been ten years on the pension rolls became eligible at the age of sixty-five for increased age pensions, and the increased age pensions were awarded to all such men upon their making application. It was, however, the practice to date such awards from the time of application, it being considered fair to assume that application would not be delayed in cases in which the pension was really needed. As previously explained, this made for a more extended distribution of the benefits, as the available funds were always fully expended, and these savings on awards of increased age pensions went to other men in need. As my hon. and learned Friend knows, every life pensioner in receipt of the Greenwich Hospital Pension will now receive the increased age pension, on reaching the age of sixty-five, without application.

Mr. HOHLER

Will my right hon. Friend, who has given so much verbiage, answer my question? [HON. MEMBERS: "Order, order!"] I am quite in order. My question is a perfectly simple one, namely, whether any Greenwich age pensioners on attaining the age of sixty-five in the years 1916, 1917, and 1918, received the increased Greenwich age pensions of 9d. without making any application for such increase; and, if so, will he give the approximate number?

Dr. MACNAMARA

The short summary of all this is "No." My hon. and learned Friend takes great interest in this, but "No" is the answer.

Mr. HOHLER

Will my right hon. Friend adopt the admirable procedure of answering "Yes" or "No" in future?

Dr. MACNAMARA

My hon. and learned Friend would be the first to complain.

Lieut. - Commander KEN WORTHY

May I ask if the right hon. Gentleman will continue to give us such information as he can in answer to our questions in the interest of the public, and not content himself with a pure negative?

Dr. MACNAMARA

Subject to what my hon. and learned Friend says, Yes.