§ Mr. BanfieldI desire to present a Petition on behalf of the National Old Age Pensions Association and certain electors in the Borough of Oldham. The Petition says:
To the Hon. The Commons of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland in Parliament assembled:That the humble petition of the Parliamentary electors of Oldham and district and the National Old Age Pensions Association, recognising the gravity of the unemployed problem, and being assured that under present conditions this problem is certain to become a permanent feature in our national life, and believing that the speediest way of eradicating this evil, which dooms the youth of this country to idleness and futility, destroying sell-respect and vitality is (1) to increase the present contributory pension from 10s. to 20S. per week at 65 years of age"—
§ Mr. SpeakerThe hon. Member need not read the whole of the Petition.
§ Mr. BanfieldThe Petition is signed by 34,959 persons.