§ Lieut.-Colonel BURGOYNEasked the Minister of Pensions what is the principle upon which the awards made to pensioners are registered; is there any check on the record of payments except that on the awards card; and what is the extent of over-payments so far discovered?
§ Major TRYONAwards of pension are recorded at the awarding branches on an awards sheet placed in a file registered in the name of the pensioner and containing the relative documents. Authority for payment of first awards and each subsequent renewal of pension is forwarded to Pension Issue Office and there recorded on an award card. There is thus a duplicate record of the award made in all cases. Apart from comparison of these separate records a test comparison is made periodically in a number of cases between paid Post Office allowance forms and the authority to pay. Overpayments, arising chiefly from miscalculations, amount to about £3,000 a year.