HC Deb 18 August 1911 vol 29 cc2269-70W
Mr. SCANLAN

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will state when it is intended to proceed with the further stages of the Old Age Pensions (No. 3) Bill?

Mr. LLOYD GEORGE

Having regard to the progress made with the Old Age Pensions (No. 1) Bill, it is not proposed to proceed further with the Old Age Pensions (No. 3) Bill.

Mr. BOYTON

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether it is proposed to give to pension officers in London, where rents are high, only the same rate of salary as will be given to officers employed at distilleries in small country villages, where rents are low and the duties less arduous; and whether pension officers, if required to work for more than eight hours a day, will be allowed overtime at the same rates as Excise officers who are not engaged on pension work?

Mr. LLOYD GEORGE

The new service scale of salary will be common to all officers of Customs and Excise wherever employed. It is not proposed to pay overtime to officers in general stations, including those in which pension officers are employed, as there are no fixed hours of attendance therein; but every endeavour will be made to arrange the business in such stations so as to provide no more than a fair day's work on an average.

Mr. SHEEHAN

asked the grounds on which the Monegay pension sub-committee, county Limerick, disallowed a pension to Mrs. Catherine Watson, seeing that she was admittedly seventy-one years of age last May; whether the privileges she enjoys out of her son's farm do not bring her income to anything like £31 per annum; can he state the basis on which the pension sub-committee made the calculation that her income exceeded the statutory figure; and will he state what steps are open to Mrs. Watson in order that she may obtain the pension to which she is entitled?

Mr. BIRRELL

An appeal was received on 17th instant by the Local Government Board from Catherine Watson, but the other papers in connection with the case have not yet been received. I am not therefore in a position to give the information desired by the hon. Member.