§ Mr. PATRICK O'BRIENasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether his attention has been called to the hardship to individuals occasioned in isolated cases under the Old Age Pensions Acts through construing the word nationality in a 1420W strictly technical sense as referred to in the case of Michael O'Connell and wife; and whether, having regard to the absence of any intention on the part of the framers of these Acts to have hardships occasioned by strictly technical constructions at variance with common feeling, he will direct the Board of Customs and Excise to issue instructions to their officers that in the case of native-born British subjects who, though technically naturalised elsewhere for all practical purposes, resumed their British nationality many years ago and are qualified in respect of residence, the term nationality in the Old Age Pensions Acts is to be construed in a substantial and not in a technical sense?
§ Mr. LLOYD GEORGEI presume the case of Michael O'Connell and his wife is that referred to in the question which the hon. Member addressed to the Chief Secretary on the 21st March last. The facts then stated indicate that neither O'Connell nor his wife could satisfy the pension authorities that they had been British subjects "for at least twenty years up to the date of the receipt of any sum on account of a pension," so as to comply with the statutory condition imposed by Section 2 (2) of the Old Age Pensions Act, 1908. As regards the last part of the question, I am not prepared to issue any directions which would lead to the grant of pensions to persons who are not in law entitled to receive a pension.