§ 19. Mr. Sorensenasked the Minister of Health what steps will be taken to implement the undertaking that, in filling vacancies on the staff of the Assistance Board after the war, every consideration would be given to the staffs of the public assistance committees who are now serving in the Armed Forces?
§ Mr. ElliotI am informed by the Board that they propose that the question of the steps to be taken to implement the undertaking referred to should be the subject of consultation with the various representative interests concerned at an early date.
§ 20. Mr. Sorensenasked the Minister of Health how many new appointments in the several grades of the Assistance Board services it is proposed to make consequent upon the coming into force of the Old Age and Widows' Pensions Act, 1940; what is the estimated annual cost of the salaries of these new officers; and to what items, and to what degree, is the remainder of the £750,000, which was estimated to be the annual cost of ad ministering Part II of the Act, to be apportioned?
§ Mr. ElliotThe additional number of staff required by the Assistance Board consequent upon the coming into operation of the Old Age and Widows' Pensions Act, 1940, and the very large number of applications for supplementary pensions which are expected to be received, is provisionally estimated at 2,500. I regret that it is not at present possible to apportion the total figure among the several grades. The annual cost of this staff is estimated at £500,000; travelling and other incidental expenses at £50,000, while the expenses of other Government Departments, such as Office of Works, Stationery Office and Post Office, are estimated at £200,000.