§ 8. Mr. HOGGEasked the Minister of Pensions whether his attention has been called to the case of Mrs. Adams, the mother of the late Private Alexander Adams, No. 9,875; whether he is aware that she is a widow of 65 years of age; that she recently was sent to prison in Calton Gaol, Edinburgh, for 30 days on the charge of having omitted to disclose the fact that, while in receipt of a weekly pension of 6s., she earned 4s. 6d. a week as a charwoman; that she lost two sons in the war; that, in spite of her period of imprisonment, her weekly pension is now suspended in order to recover £33 8s. 7d.; that it will take over two years to recover such sum; and whether, in view of her age and the fact that she lost two sons and has already served her sentence in prison, he will wipe off the over issue of pension and renew at once her weekly pension?
§ Major TRYONI cannot agree to waive the recovery of money which has been obtained from the State by misrepresentation, but I am making further enquiries the result of which may, I hope, enable me to consider sympathetically the questions of re-issuing pension, and of effecting recovery at a lower weekly rate.
§ Mr. HOGGEWill my right hon. Friend bear in mind this fact, that this old lady, who has lost two sons and who was sent to prison for this offence, was not even given the option of a fine, and now finds herself, at this period of life, without any means of subsistence at all?
§ Major TRYONI can assure my hon. Friend that I am going into the case sympathetically, in view of the fact that this old lady has lost two sons, but if the issue of these pensions is not going to be safeguarded by making sure that persons' incomes are properly declared, the whole system of the pensions, which gives the greaten amount to the poor people, will break down.