§ Mr. HARNEYasked the Minister of Health the number of widows', children's and orphans' pensions, respectively, in payment at 31st March, 1927; the number of applications for widows', children's and orphans' pensions, respectively, up to 31st March, 1927; the amount paid in widows', children's and orphans' pensions respectively, up to 31st March, 1927; the estimated number of insured persons under the Widows', orphans' and Old Age Contributory Pensions Act, 1925; the number of applications for widows', children's and orphans' pensions disallowed during the period under review, giving the principal reasons for disallowment; the number of widows in receipt of pensions whose widowhood commenced before 4th January, 1926; the number of children and orphans, respectively, in respect of whom allowances are paid and whose qualifications were previous to 4th January, 1926; the number of appeals against the decision of the Ministry of Health by applicants for or recipients of old age pensions, widows' pensions, children's allowances and orphans' pensions, respectively, stating the number of successful appeals, respectively; the number of voluntary contributors, men and women, respectively, stating how many of these became -voluntary contributors during 1926; the cost of administration of pensions under 2096W the Widows', Orphans' and Old Age Contributory Pensions Act, by the Post Office and Ministry of Health, respectively; the number of staff employed by the Ministry of Health on work resultant from the operation of the Act, stating the increase of staff as a result of the introduction of the Widows', Orphans' and Old Age Contributory Pensions Act, and the cost thereof; the number of pensioners of whose death notice has reached the Ministry of Health, giving the numbers, respectively, of widows, children, orphans and aged persons; and the number of pensioners under the Widows', Orphans and Old Age Contributory Pensions Act who are in receipt of outdoor relief and institutional relief, respectively, and the amount so expended?
Mr. CHAMBERLAINThe hon. and learned Member will find the most recent statistical information relating to the Widows', Orphans', and Old Age Contributory Pensions Act, 1925, in replies made on 24th February to the hon. Member for Leigh (Mr. Tinker) and the hon. Member for Penistone (Mr. Rennie Smith) on 10th February, to the hon. Member for Moscley (Mr. Hannon) on 3th December, 1926, to the hon. Member for King's Norton (Mr. Dennison) and the hon. Member for Gloucester (Mr. T. Henderson), and on 2nd December, 1926, to the hon. Member for Wednesbury (Mr. Short). The above information supplies answers to some parts of his question. The preparation of answers to other parts of his question would involve an expenditure of time and labour which I do not consider that I should be justified in throwing on the Insurance Division of the Ministry in present conditions of pressure. I propose to include a full report of the working of the Widows', Orphans', and Old Age Contributory Pensions Act, 1925, in the next Annual Report of the Ministry of Health.