§ Lord BALCARRESasked the President of the Local Government Board if his attention has been called to the recommendation of the Lancashire local pension committee that Anne Fazackerley, of Tarleton, aged 72, should be granted an old age pension; whether he is aware that she has been disqualified by the Board on the ground that her deceased husband was obliged owing to serious debility to apply for parochial relief, which was granted to him alone; whether he is aware that after the death of her husband Mrs. Fazackerley received no assistance from the board of guardians while her application for a pension was before the committee, she being meanwhile supported by her friends, until, after protracted delays in dealing with her application, she was obliged to ask for assistance from the guardians, who decided to allow her from the poor rate the weekly sum to which they considered her entitled from the pension fund; and whether, in view of the fact that the county committee has unanimously approved the recommendation of its local committee, he could further investigate the matter with a view to securing a pension for this applicant?
§ Mr. BURNSI am aware of the case referred to by the Noble Lord. According to the information before the Local Government Board the relief first given by the guardians was granted to the husband for the support of himself and his wife. It appeared also, as stated in the question, that after her husband's death the claimant applied for and obtained poor relief. In these circumstances she was disqualified for a pension by the terms of Section 3 (1) of the Old Age Pensions Act, and the Board had no alternative but to decide accordingly.