§ 53. Mr. DALTONasked the Minister of Pensions whether the particulars upon which the cost of administration of the Ministry is stated to be 5d per £ of benefit include the sum provided for pensions of all ranks awarded for life; and, if so, what is the cost per £ of benefit, eliminating the sum provided for life pensions during 1920 and the current year?
The PARLIAMENTARY SECRETARY to the MINISTRY of PENSIONS (Lieut.-Colonel Stanley)The answer to the first part of the question is in the affirmative. I fear that it is not practicable to make the interesting distinction suggested in the second part of the question, since, even in the case of awards of life pension, some expenditure on current administration is necessarily involved—for example, in connection with the machinery of payment, the adjustment of allowances in accordance with 667 changes in family circumstances, the provision of treatment, and other matters—the cost of which cannot he separated.