§ Major COHENasked the Minister of Pensions what is the amount of money that his Department has saved as a result of the operation of the Widows', Orphans', and Old Age Contributory Pensions Act; and if he will consider whether such saving can be used for the benefit of border-line pension claims that have been rejected under the existing pension regulations?
§ Mr. F. O. ROBERTSThe information asked for in the first part of the question is not available, as no special record is kept of the adjustments which have, from time to time, to be made in consequence of the receipt by a pensioner parent of a widow's or old age pension. The net result, however, of the grant of either of these classes of pension to parents already in receipt of a need pension from my Department, is, I understand, in the aggregate, not a saving, but an increased charge upon the Exchequer. Consequently, and apart from any other considerations, the suggestion contained in the last part of the question could not, I fear, be adopted.