HC Deb 30 March 1914 vol 60 cc845-6W
Mr. LEES SMITH

asked the President of the Local Government Board (1) if he will state the number of persons in receipt of old age pensions in July, 1913, in the urban district of Stanley, county Durham; (2) the number of persons in receipt of old age pensions in July, 1913, in the borough of Northampton; and (3) the number of persons in receipt of old age pensions in September, 1913, in the borough of Warrington?

Mr. MONTAGU

Statistics of the numbers of old age pensioners resident in each county and county borough on the last Friday in March are given annually in the Reports of the Commissioners of Customs and Excise. The figures for the last Friday in March, 1913, are as follows:—

County borough of Warrington … 796
County borough of Northampton … 1,963

These are the latest figures available. It is, I fear, not practicable to give information as at another date, or for any subdivision of a county area.

Mr. BOLAND

asked the Chief Secretary for Ireland whether he is aware that Mrs. Mary Griffin, nee Moriarty, Old Road, Cahirciveen, has applied for any old age pension, and that her claim has been rejected on the ground that no record of her parents or their family has been found in the Census of 1841 and 1851; and whether, in view of the fact that her marriage certificate has been put in evidence and declarations of old residents to the effect that she has exceeded the statutory age, he will state why the pension has been refused?

Mr. BIRRELL

Mary Griffin's claim for an old age pension was disallowed by the Local Government Board on appeal on the ground that the Board were not satisfied that she had reached the statutory age. A record of her family was found in the 1841 Census Return, but her name did not appear as one of the children. The family was not found in the 1851 Census Return. Her marriage certificate does not appear to have been put in evidence before the Board, and the declarations referred to being merely uncorroborated expressions of opinion on the part of her friends afforded no proof that she was seventy years of age.