63. Mr.WOMERSLEY asked the Minister of Health the number of claims for widows' pensions under the 1929 Act which have been rejected up to the latest available date?
§ Mr. GREENWOODThe total number of claims for widows' pensions under the 1929 Act rejected up to 30th October was 24,772.
§ Mr. TINKERHow many of these applicants under the 1929 Act had already been rejected under the 1925 Act?
§ Mr. GREENWOODIt is impossible to tell, but I have no doubt that it is a large number.
§ Mr. HORE-BELISHAIs there anything which prevents the right hon. Gentleman from giving these pensions retrospectively?
§ Mr. WOMERSLEYHas the right hon. Gentleman in mind the introduction of legislation to deal with this large number of widows in need who have been refused pensions?
§ Mr. GREENWOODAs a matter of fact, there is not a large number of widows who have been refused.
§ Mr. ERNEST BROWNDid not the right hon. Gentleman state that no calculation had been made by the Ministry as to the number of widows in need and that no such calculation was possible without an inquiry into the means of the widows of the country? How then can the right hon. Gentleman give that answer?
§ Mr. GREENWOODBecause we have granted pensions to over 240,000 widows.
§ 70. Mr. THOMAS LEWISasked the Minister of Health if he will take the necessary steps to provide that, where a widow is receiving a widow's pension and an allowance in respect of a child who is permanently incapacitated by reason of some specific disease or bodily or mental disablement, the allowance shall be continued on the same basis as if the child were attending full-time instruction at a day school?
§ Mr. GREENWOODI would point out to my hon. Friend that provision of the kind referred to would require legislation, and I am not at present in a position to undertake to introduce legislation for this purpose.