§ 71. Mr. Simpsonasked the Minister of Health whether the cost of the concession to disability pensioners, under the Poor Law Act, 1934, is paid to local authorities as a separate item; and whether any returns are furnished to his Department to show that the subsidy is being administered to the best advantage of pensioner applicants for local public assistance?
§ Mr. ElliotPublic assistance authorities do not receive any special grant in respect of the requirement imposed on them by the Poor Law Act, 1934, to disregard the first £1 a week of any wounds or disability pension when dealing with applications for outdoor relief. The second part of the question does not, therefore, arise.
§ 85. Mr. Hannahasked the Minister of Health whether, as the Prince of Wales and the Chelsea funds are not intended to relieve the rates, it is the intention of his Department that public assistance committees should ignore their contributions when assessing the incomes of applicants?
88. Mr. Adamsonasked the Minister of Health whether he is aware that under the administration of public assistance in the county of Stafford, any applicant for assistance who has a grant as an ex-serviceman from the British Legion, or the Chelsea Pension Fund has 50 per cent. of his grant taken into account to determine the amount due; and whether he will take steps to get this altered?
§ Mr. ElliotThere is no statutory authority empowering public assistance committees, in assessing applications for relief, to disregard the sources of income to which the hon. Members refer.