§ Mr. GROVESasked the Minister of Pensions (1) whether he will investigate the circumstances attending the letter sent to Mr. J. T. Goff, 145, Henniker Road, Stratford, from the Pensions Issue Office, Acton, objecting to the signature of the hon. Member for the Stratford Division (Mr. Groves) in respect to a pensioner's life certificate, whether he is aware of the Treasury reply, 29th May, 1924, that they are prepared to include any substantial persons ordinarily approached; whether he has decided chat Members of Parliament do not come within such category; and, if not, whether he will instruct his Department to accept such signatures;
(2) asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury whether he is aware that the list of persons qualified to attest pensioners' declarations includes Post Office clerks, policemen, schoolmasters, friendly society secretaries, but excludes borough and county councillors and Members of Parliament; that the hon. Member for the Stratford Division (Mr. Groves) is frequently asked by his constituents who are pensioners to attest their forms; that such forms are returned to the pensioners emphasising that Members of Parliament are not qualified to so sign; and whether as the Treasury stated on 29th May, 1924, that they were prepared to include in the list any substantial persons who are ordinarily approached, he will issue the necessary instructions that the signatures of Members of Parliament must not be so ignored?
Mr. GUINNESSThe persons by whom declarations may be attested are those named in a warrant issued from time to time under the authority of the Appropriation Act. If there were any general desire on the part of Members, I should he glad to issue a revised warrant in 964W which provision was made for the inclusion of Members of Parliament among the persons before whom declarations may be subscribed; but in view of the very heavy and troublesome work involved it has been assumed that Members would not wish this to be done.