§ Mr. ZilliacusWith your permission, Mr. Speaker, I beg to present a humble Petition signed by the officers of the Gorton branch of the National Federation of Old-Age Pensions Associations in the name and at the request of 3,100 of their members. This Petition states that old-age pensioners are suffering great and increasing poverty and hardship because of the high and constantly rising cost of living and the fact that the basic pension remains at only £2 a week.
Wherefore, your Petitioners pray that steps be taken without delay to grant an increase of at least £1 a week in the retirement pension of men at 65 and women at 60 with provision for adjustment to any further rise in the cost of living.And your Petitioners, as in duty bound, will ever pray.I beg you, Mr. Speaker, to instruct the Clerk of the House to read the Petition to the House.
§ The CLERK-ASSISTANT OF THE HOUSE
§
read the Petition, which was as follows:
The Humble Petition of the Undersigned officers of the Gorton Branch of the National Federation of Old-Age Pensions Associations, on behalf of 3,100 members in the constituency of Gorton, in the City of Manchester.
Sheweth:
That the maintenance of retirement pensions at the level of only £ 2 a week in spite of the high and rising cost of living is inflicting severe and increasing poverty and hardship on old-age pensioners who have to suffer privation even in the bare necessities of life, such as food, fuel and clothing and whose position is steadily deteriorating.
Wherefore, your Petitioners pray that steps be taken without delay to grant an increase of at least £ 1 a week in the retirement pension of men at 65 and women at 60 with provision for adjustment to any further rise in the cost of living.
And your Petitioners, as in duty bound. will ever pray.
§ To lie upon the Table.