§ Mr. SCANLANasked the Lord Advocate why John Geary, of 180, Garngadhill, Glasgow, has been refused a pension under the Old Age Pensions Act; whether he is aware that Geary is qualified as to age; that he served many years in the Army; 1409W that he was allowed by the Commissioners of Chelsea Hospital in 1889 to go abroad for his health; that he went in that year to Brisbane and returned to Glasgow in 1898; that, during his absence abroad, his home was kept on by him, his wife occupying the same; and that he paid his rent, rates and taxes for those years of absence, and was through all those years on the voters' roll; and whether, if no other objection to his claim than one on the score of absence has been urged, he will recommend that the case be reconsidered with a view to having his pension paid, with arrears?
§ Mr. UREI am informed that the Local Government Board dismissed the appeal of John Geary on the ground that he bad been absent from the United Kingdom for a period of more than eight years cut of the last twenty. An absence of this length constitutes an absolute statutory disqualification even when the circumstances are such as those stated in the hon. Member's question, and accordingly the Local Government Board had no option but to disqualify the claimant.