§ 20. Sir Robert Youngasked the Minister of Health whether he is satisfied that the purpose for which the pensionable age of a blind person was reduced from 50 to 40 has been realised or whether his attention has been called to the extent by which local authorities have caused 1116 the financial benefits of the amended Act to be reduced or cancelled; and what steps he proposes to take to give to eligible blind persons the benefit intended for them?
§ Mr. E. BrownYes, Sir; it was always contemplated that a local authority in granting financial assistance to a blind person under the Blind Persons Acts would take into account the amount of any old age pension received by him; and one of the objects of reducing the pensionable age for blind persons was to secure that the burden of providing assistance to blind persons should be shared between the Exchequer and the local authorities. I see no need, therefore, for any special action in the matter.
§ Sir R. YoungDoes not the right hon. Gentleman think it unfortunate that local authorities should have taken advantage of the Act, and thus used it to reduce rates instead of helping these unfortunate people?