HC Deb 22 May 1928 vol 217 cc1696-7
76. Mr. KELLY

asked the Minister of Health why Michael Cosgrave, of 4, Long- holme, Rochdale, is refused an old age pension, seeing that his unemployment benefit has been stopped, as the Ministry of Labour believe he is 65 years of age?

Sir K. WOOD

The information available to me in connection with Mr. Cosgrave's claim to old age pension indicates that he has not yet reached pensionable age. I understand that payment of benefit under the Unemployment, Insurance Acts will be resumed.

Mr. KELLY

Is it the policy of the right hon. Gentleman's Department to consult with the Ministry of Labour on these cases, so that men may not be deprived of benefit because the Ministry of Labour may happen to think a man is 65 years of age?

Sir K. WOOD

I have already explained some of the difficulties in certain of these cases, and we are naturally anxious to avoid suspension of benefit of every kind, and we are doing our best to meet the circumstances.

Mr. BUCHANAN

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that very often this pension represents the total income of the person, and can he take steps at least to assure a person that payment temporarily will be made, in order not to keep him back from payment all this long time?

Sir K. WOOD

I have just said that.

HOSIERY INDUSTRY—GREAT BRITAIN.
Insured Persons recorded as Unemployed.
Date. Wholly Unemployed. Temporarily Stopped.
Men. Boys. Women. Girls. Total. Men. Boys. Women. Girls. Total.
1926—
22nd March … … 426 13 1,334 134 1,907 460 5 1,746 170 2,381
26th April … … 495 10 1,649 189 2,342 604 7 2,729 244 3,564
1927—
21st March … … 551 15 1,882 171 2,619 772 16 3,597 264 4,649
25th April … … 528 13 1,923 176 2,640 684 8 3,764 359 4,815
1928—
26th March … … 409 14 1,214 78 1,715 313 9 1,968 123 2,413
23rd April … … 470 18 1,400 115 2,003 443 8 2,378 132 2,961

The numbers temporarily stopped include persons on short time who were not at work on the date to which the figures relate, but separate statistics of these persons are not available.