Dr. ESMONDEasked the Chief Secretary if he will state why John Grady, of Lacken, Birdhill, county Tipperary, was refused the old age pension by the Local Government Board although allowed by the local pension committee; and if he will now be placed on the list of old age pensioners?
§ Mr. BIRRELLThe Local Government Board disallowed John O'Grady's claim to a pension on the ground that his means, as calculated in accordance with the pro- 1469W visions of the Old Age Pensions Act, exceeded the statutory limit. It is not open to the Board to reconsider their decision.
§ Mr. O'SHAUGHNESSYasked the Chief Secretary why Mrs. Margaret Enright, Riddlestown, Rathkeale, county Limerick, has not yet received the old age pension, although the pension officer stated to her that she would be entitled to it from the 7th April last?
§ Mr. BIRRELLMargaret Enright in her claim stated she was about seventy years of age, but she furnished no satisfactory evidence in support of her contention and at different times made contradictory statements as regards her age at the time of her marriage in 1865. The Local Government Board therefore disallowed her claim on the ground that she had failed to show that she fulfilled the statutory conditions as to age.
§ Mr. O'SHAUGHNESSYasked the Chief Secretary why Mrs. Annie Keating Fitzgerald, of Rathkeale, county Limerick, has not received the old age pension, having regard to the fact that the local pension committee granted it to her; whether he is aware that, not being able to get her baptismal certificate, she got the testimony of a most respectable man, stating that he knew her fifty years ago, and that she was then a young woman, and should now be over seventy years; and whether she will now receive the pension?
§ Mr. BIRRELLThe Local Government Board are unable to trace the receipt of any appeal in the case of Mrs. Annie Keating Fitzgerald of Rathkeale.
§ Mr. MacNEILLasked on what ground has Mr. Hugh Barron, of Ballyshannon, who had been declared entitled by the Ballyshannon sub-committee to a pension of 5s. a week from the 16th December, 1910, which he was paid for several months, been deprived of that pension, having regard to the fact that his age qualification is undoubted?
§ Mr. BIRRELLIn October, 1909, the pension sub-committee, on a question raised by the pension officer as to the age of the pensioner Barron, determined that he did not fulfil the statutory condition as to age, and the Local Government Board, after full investigation, confirmed this decision when Barron appealed to them. Meanwhile a second claim had been rejected by the sub-committee. In Decem-1470W ber last, however, the sub-committee allowed a pension again, but the Board in January disallowed it when the pension officer appealed. Barron's family could not be found in the 1841 Census, but was traced in the 1851 Returns, his age being given as eight years. No evidence was produced to show that this record was incorrect, or that he was qualified as to age.
§ Mr. MORTONasked the President of the Local Government Board whether he can give the latest figures as to the number of men and women respectively receiving old age pensions in the United Kingdom?
§ Mr. HOBHOUSEThe total number of old age pensioners in the United Kingdom on the last Friday in March, 1911, was as follows:—
Men. Women. Total. 333,050 674,411 907,461 No later figures are yet available.