§ Mr. FARRELLasked the Chief Secretary for Ireland whether any fresh instructions have recently been issued to the Irish pension officers to raise questions in the case of old age pensioners, many of whom have been enjoying these pensions since the Old Age Pension Act was passed; whether any bonus or other reward is paid to such officers for showing special activity in this matter; whether he can state the total number of persons deprived of pensions for the six months ending 30th June, 1918; and if this practice is to be continued?
§ Mr. BALDWINThe answer to the first and second parts of the hon. Member's question is in the negative. The suggestion that pension officers have a personal interest in the disqualification of old age pensioners is entirely without foundation and is keenly resented, and justly so, by pension officers. It has been contradicted already in this House on various occasions, in one instance in reply to a similar question put by the hon. Member to the Financial Secretary to the Treasury on the 1st of March, 1910. The figures referred to in the third part of the question are not available.