§ 91. Sir J. BUTCHERasked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury whether, in estimating the means of a pensioner for the purpose of the Pensions (Increase) Act, 1920, the practice is to ascertain whether his means, including his pension, for a whole year exceeds the prescribed amount; and whether, if his means for some portion of the year are at a rate exceeding the prescribed amount, but taken over a whole year are less than the prescribed amount, the practice is to deduct from the increase of pension a proportionate amount for the period during which his means were at a rate exceeding the prescribed amount?
Mr. YOUNGThe amount of the increase to be granted under the Act is determined by reference to the means of the pensioner as disclosed in the declaration for the preceding 12 months, provided that the pension authority may take into consideration any material 2037 change of circumstances, and that the increase will not continue to be paid if the pensioner ceases to fulfil the statutory conditions. In so far as I appreciate the meaning of the hon. Baronet, the procedure indicated in the latter half of the question is not that which is adopted by pension authorities.
§ Sir J. BUTCHERAm I right in supposing that if a man is a little over the prescribed amount for a month but a little under the prescribed amount for the whole year the whole year will be taken as the test?