§ 29. Mr. SHORTasked the Minister of Pensions whether there is a one-year limit 646 for the recovery of over-issue of pensions or allowances, such over-issues being due to errors on the part of the staff of the Ministry; whether any instruction has been issued instructing officers to effect recovery of over-payments made subsequent to let April, 1921; and, if so, will he cause instructions to be issued that no recovery of pensions or allowances made in error shall be effected in respect of any payments made prior to 1st April, 1922?
§ Major TRYONI would refer the hon. Member to the answer which I gave him on the 19th April. The arrangements I then referred to will apply to all over-issues. Provided the over-issue was not due to fraud or misrepresentation and was not notified to the pensioner within 12 months no recovery will be effected where the over-payment terminated before the 1st April, 1922. Instructions to this effect have already been issued.
§ Mr. MACPHERSONWill the right hon. Gentleman not consider in the case of an over-payment whether he will make the amount taken off the pension as small as possible?
§ Major TRYONI shall be happy to consider the suggestion. We are making, arrangements to have these cases considered in the areas in order to avoid bringing so many up to London.
§ Mr. MARDY JONESWill the hon. and gallant Gentleman not make it a flat rate of a penny a week?