HC Deb 08 May 1913 vol 52 cc2239-40W
Mr. O'SHEE

asked the Chief Secretary whether he is aware that the Dungarvan board of guardians propose to make a special contract to board and lodge, in a portion of the building constituting the workhouse, for 4s. per week over seventy old men and women who are entitled to old age pensions; whether the Local Government Board will sanction the action of the guardians on condition that the quarters assigned to the old age pensioners are not to be considered as a portion of the workhouse and that the board and maintenance are not to be considered as given to the pensioners as inmates but as a matter of contract between these old persons and the guardians; whether he will see that no question is raised as to the right of these persons to receive pensions by reason of the fact that they reside in a portion of the workhouse building; and whether this system has already been adopted by other boards of guardians in Ireland with the sanction of the Local Government Board?

Mr. BIRRELL

The Dungarvan board of guardians had under consideration a proposal of the nature indicated in the question, but, as I have already pointed out, under the Old Age Pensions Act, 1908, maintenance in a workhouse or receipt of Poor Law relief, other than that specially excepted in the provisos to Section 3. (1) (a) of the Act, ipso facto disqualifies a pensioner from receiving his pension. The reply to the last paragraph of the question is in the negative.