25. Mr. ROBINSONasked the Minister of Health if, in view of his decision in the case of Mrs. Sarah Ann Halliwell, he will issue to old age pensions committees and pensions officers throughout the country an instruction that persons in receipt of old age pensions who are paying patients in Poor Law hospitals shall not have their old age pensions cancelled after they have been in the institution three months; and whether he will take such action as is necessary so to amend the Old Age Pensions Acts that pensioners paying part of their maintenance in Poor Law hospitals shall be entitled to receive part of their old age pensions?
Mr. SAMUELI have been asked to reply. Inquiries are being made into this case, which raises questions of some difficulty. I will communicate with the hon. Member in due course.
§ Mr. R. MORRISONIn view of the importance of this question will the result be made known so that people may know exactly what is the position of paying patients in Poor Law institutions?
§ 49. Sir ROBERT NEWMANasked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury 2489 whether he has received communications from local pensions committees asking him to consider the advisability of introducing legislation to amend the existing Old Age Pensions Acts in order to provide that the income of claimants shall be calculated at 5 per cent. only; and whether he can hold out any hope that he will be able to do so?
Mr. SAMUELDuring the present year the Minister of Health has received communications on the subject from six of the 324 old age pensions committees in England and Wales. The present method of calculating means from invested capital or other property not personally used or enjoyed was adopted after careful consideration in 1919. As at present advised, the Government is not prepared to initiate legislation in the direction suggested in the question.