§ 76. Mr. WILKIEasked the Pensions Minister whether, having in view the recognised increase in the cost of living and the consequent difficulty for old people entitled to the old age pension to subsist on the present rate of pension, which ranges from 5s. per week where the income is under £21 per annum to 1s. per week where the income is between £28 17s. 6d. and £31 10s. per annum, together with an additional war allowance of 2s. 6d. per week to all old age pensioners, the Government will consider the desirability of doubling the present existing payments; and, considering that difficulty is often experienced in verifying the ages of applicants for old age pensions through no fault on the part of the applicants, whether the Government will allow payment of the pension to commence from the date when the applicant lodges his claim, and not, as at present, payable on the first Friday after the pension has been passed by the local pension committee, which in some cases represents an interval of several Weeks and even months?
§ Mr. BALDWINI would refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave on this subject to the hon. and gallant Member for East Bradford (Captain Loseby) on the 15th inst.
An HON. MEMBERMay I ask if the hon. and gallant Gentleman is aware that aged people under seventy receiving Poor Law relief often have their incomes actually reduced by receiving old age pensions?