§ 22. Mr. GROVESasked the Minister of Health whether he is aware that in connection with claims for widows', orphans' and old age contributory pensions his Departmental notes request that the claim numbers shall be quoted in communications; whether he is aware that embarrassment is caused to aged people, inasmuch as the claim numbers exceed 27 millions; and whether he will give instructions that simpler numbers are used?
Sir H. YOUNGThe answer to the first part of the question is in the affirmative; as regards the second and third parts, the pension number serves three purposes, namely, to denote a particular pensioner, to show the week of the year in which a new order book is issuable, and to show the week and year in which the pensioner will attain the age of 70, when the charge for the pension has to be transferred from the Pensions Account to the Vote for Old Age Pensions. This greatly facilitates the use of machines for recurring operations, and the advantage to the pensioners themselves of the virtually automatic renewal of their pensions far outweighs any slight disadvantage which the use of necessarily long numbers may involve.
§ Mr. GROVESWhile the reply has nothing at all to do with the question on the Paper, I should like to ask the right hon. Gentleman, with special reference to the question, why these forms have been issued? They contain eight figures and are, therefore, a source of embarrassment to aged people. They are written, not typed. If they were typed they would be more easy to decipher. Will the right hon. Gentleman not consider that these forms are an embarrassment to old people?
Sir H. YOUNGThe hon. Member's supplementary question really satisfies me that the answer was most relevant to the question. I apologise for the length of the reply, but, if the hon. Member will consider it, I think he will find that it meets his point.