HC Deb 04 March 1929 vol 226 cc18-9
35. Sir N. GRATTAN-DOYLE

asked the Minister of Health whether a person drawing an old age pension under the Pension Act of 1925 loses that pension on taking up residence in the Irish Free State or Northern Ireland?

Sir K. WOOD

A person entitled to an old age pension under the Contributory Pensions Act, 1925, who takes up residence in Northern Ireland continues to be entitled to his pension, reciprocal arrangements having been made between Great Britain and Northern Ireland under the powers conferred by Section 33 of the Act. It has not, however, been possible to make reciprocal arrangements with the Irish Free State, as there is no contributory pensions scheme in that country, and the position is governed by Section 22 of the Act which provides that pension is not payable to any person while he is absent from Great Britain.

Sir N. GRATTAN-DOYLE

Could not some arrangement be made to bring such persons into benefit?

Sir K. WOOD

The great difficulty is that there must be reciprocal arrangements in these matters.