§ Mr. CECIL WILSONasked the Minister of Health the number of pensioners prior to the Act of 1924; the increase on the passing of that Act; the increase on the passing of the Act of 1925; and the estimated increase under the present Bill?
§ Mr. GREENWOODThe number of old age pensions under the Old Age Pensions Acts, 1908 to 1919, in payment on 30th June, 1924, was 928,000. 47,000 new pensions were awarded in 1924 as a result of the Act of that year. In September, 1929, pensions were in payment as follow:
Widows' pensions 271,000,1 Payable under or by virtue of the Widows', Orphans' and Old Age Contributory Pensions Act, 1925. Orphans' pensions 16,000 Old age pensions: to persons 65 to 70 558,500 to persons over 70 403,500 Old age pensions: to persons over 70 921,000 Payable under the Old Age Pensions Acts, 1908 to 1924 irrespective of insurance. Total 2,170,000 Under the Widows', Orphans', and Old Age Contributory Pensions Act, 1929, it is estimated that the following new pensions will become payable for the first time on or before 1st January, 1931:
Widows pensions … … 297,000 Old age pensions to persons 65 to 70 … … 42,000 to persons over 70 … … 12,000 Total … … 351,000 In addition, about 10,000 persons at present disqualified from receiving pensions because they are in lunatic asylums or Poor Law infirmaries will cease to be disqualified from receiving pensions, while about 200,000 widows of men who died before 4th January, 1926, who will be under 55 years of age on 1st January, 1931, will become entitled to widows pensions on attaining the age of 55.
These figures refer to Great Britain.