§ 50. Mr. Burkeasked the Prime Minister whether he will arrange for Parliamentary time to discuss the Motion asking for old age pensions to be increased to £1 which now stands on the Order Paper in the name of the hon. Member for Leigh (Mr. Tinker)?
§ [That this House requests the Government to increase the weekly amount paid to old age pensioners to £1 a week and to make provision for this when the next Budget is introduced.]
§ The Prime MinisterI regret that I can hold out no hope of special facilities being given for the discussion of this Motion.
§ Mr. BurkeIs the Prime. Minister not aware that if this Motion were discussed he would find a body of opinion in favour of it in this House and throughout the country which would, perhaps, induce him to change his mind and do the gracious thing now, instead of being driven to do it by public opinion, as happened in the case of his policy of appeasement?
§ The Prime MinisterThe question of doing any gracious thing is a question of finding the time.