§ Mr. RILEYasked the Minister of Health (1) the number of widows who applied in the years 1926 and 1927, respectively, for the widow's pension, but whose applications were refused on the ground of ineligibility;
(2) the number of widows whose husbands died before January, 1926, who applied for a widow's pension in the years 1926 and 1927, respectively; and the number of applications which were successful and the number refused?
§ Sir K. WOODThe following particulars relate to England and Wales: During the year 1926, 27,440 claims and during the year 1927, 4,944 claims were received from widows whose husbands died before January, 1926, but it is not pos-910W sible to divide these figures between awards and rejections. Up to the end of 1927 the total number of claims received from widows in this class was 158,735 of which 116,432 were admitted and 42,303 were rejected. As regards the widows of men who died after 4th January, 1926, 46,942 claims were received in 1926 and 61,732 in 1927. The numbers of claims rejected in the same years, were 4.485 and 6,408, respectively.
§ Mr. RILEYasked the Minister of Health the number of persons between the ages of 65 and 70 who have applied for the contributory old age pension since the Contributory Old Age Pension Act came into operation, and the number whose applications have been successful and unsuccessful, respectively.
§ Sir K. WOODAs regards England and Wales, 714,893 claims were received up to the 8th instant. Of these 74,521 were made under a misapprehension, and were not proceeded with when the qualifying conditions were explained. Of the balance of 640,372, 561,266 were successful and 64,133 unsuccessful, 14,973 being undecided on the above date.