HC Deb 14 August 1940 vol 364 cc787-8
74. Mr. Silverman

asked the Minister of Health why the Public Assistance Board is refusing to determine the applications of old age pensioners for supplementary pensions unless the income of their landlords is furnished, in cases where such landlords happen to be relatives of the applicants?

The Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Health (Miss Horsbrugh)

I am informed that it is not the practice to require particulars of the income of a pensioner's landlord. whether a relative or not. Where, however, it is not accepted that the relationship of landlord and tenant exists, but it appears that the parties are members of one household, the Board have no alternative under the Act but to require that such information regarding the circumstances of the household shall be furnished as will enable a determination to be made.

Mr. Silverman

Is the hon. Lady not aware that it has become the practice of the Board to regard the fact that the relationship of landlord and tenant has been created between relatives as being sufficient to establish one common household, and that the result has been widespread hardship all over the country?

Miss Horsbrugh

I think the hon. Gentleman will realise that if people are living in a household of a relative, it must be the work of the Board's officer to find out from them whether they are living as lodgers as between landlord and tenant or whether as part of the household. Some questions must be put in order to ascertain that fact.

Mr. Silverman

The hon. Lady has not quite appreciated my point. It is not that questions are asked in order to determine whether the relationship exists that I complain, but that as soon as the investigating officer learns that the householder who rents a room to an old age pensioner is a relative of that pensioner, he refuses to make any determination at all.

Miss Horsbrugh

In my original reply I said that when it appears to the officer that it is not a case of landlord and tenant in one household, he makes inquiries. In the case to which the hon. Gentleman refers, perhaps it did appear to the officer of the Board that it was not an ordinary case of landlord and tenant but of one household.