§ Mr. HERRIOTTSasked the Minister of Pensions what is the number of men in receipt of pensions in Northern Ireland; what is the number of men in receipt of treatment with allowances; whether there is only one war pensions committee in the region; whether there is a chief area officer; whether there is an acting regional director who is also commissioner of medical services; whether there is a regional awards officer and a regional finance officer, whose duty it is to report on any excessive expenditure on administration; whether he has submitted any report on the cost of administering this one area, and, if so, has any action been taken on the report; what is the cost of administration in the Northern Ireland region, and what is the cost per year per pensioner; and whether the sickness grants to the widows and orphans of deceased service men are to be discontinued in the region?
56W
§ Major TRYONApproximately 15,000 men are in receipt of pensions in the region administering Northern Ireland, about 980 of whom are at present receiving treatment with allowances. The answer to the third, fourth, fifth and sixth parts of the question is in the affirmative. As regards the seventh part, no special report has been received, but the question of effecting economy in administration is constantly under review in the light of periodical returns of cost. The approximate annual cost of administration is £56,000, which is equal to about 20s. for each beneficiary under the Royal Warrant, of whom there are some 52,000. As regards the last part of the question, the position as regards Northern Ireland does not differ from that elsewhere.