§ Mr. TOUCHEasked the President of the Local Government Board if he will 558W inquire into the case of Mr. Vincent, 32, Salterton Road, Holloway, London, N., whose old age pension has been restricted to 3s. a week as from 5th April, notwithstanding the fact that he possesses no other means; is he aware that the full pension of 5s. is refused on the ground that Mr. Vincent has a theoretical income of £26 a year, because this is the sum (including the value of the room he occupies) which it is estimated to cost his daughter, Mrs. Fiddler, on whom he depends entirely, to keep him; that his daughter has no means beyond her separation allowance and what she can make by letting other rooms in the house; and will he say if this interpretation of what constitutes the yearly value of any benefit or privilege enjoyed by a pensioner is in accordance with the universal practice of the Board in calculating the means of applicants for old age pension purposes?
§ Mr. LONGI am aware of the decision in the case referred to. Under Section 2 (1) (d) of the Old Age Pensions Act, 1911, the yearly value of any benefit or privilege enjoyed by a claimant to a pension is to be included in the calculation of the yearly means of the claimant, and the value of free board or lodging must be regarded as part of the yearly means for the purposes of the Old Age Pensions Act.