§ Mr. GuyI ask leave to present a Petition to the House concerning spinsters' pensions which has been organised jointly by the National Spinsters' Pensions Association and the Scottish Women's Pensions League following on a deputation to the Minister of Health last month. The grievance set forth in the Petition is that grave hardship and injustice are caused by the fact that the contributory old age pension is not payable in the ease of single women until they attain the age of 65, at which age the great majority of them are out of insurance and are, therefore, unable to qualify for pension. The Petition has been freely signed by men and women, married and single, up and down both countries, and no fewer than 1,000,000 signatures have been obtained in a month. This is clear and definite evidence of the widespread and spontaneous support for the spinsters' cause. Wherefore your petitioners humbly pray that your Honourable House will be pleased to lower the qualifying age for contributory pensions for spinsters from 65 to 55; and your petitioners, as in duty bound, will ever pray.