§ Mr. Tinkerasked the Minister of Health whether he will give the latest figures in his possession of the number of old-age pensioners who are in receipt of relief from the Poor Law authorities, and what percentage they represent of the number of pensioners; and will he give separate figures for Lancashire?
§ Mr. ElliotIn reply to the first part of the question I would refer the hon. Member to the answer given to him on 2nd June last. No later figures are available, as the only returns made to my Department which distinguish the number of old-age pensioners in the category mentioned in the question are those relating to the 1st January in each year.
As regards the last part of the question, the number of old-age pensioners in this category on the 1st January, 1938, in the administrative county of Lancaster, together with the 17 associated county boroughs, was 33,808. I regret that I am unable to state the proportion which this number bears to the total number of old-age pensioners in Lancashire, as the records of old-age pensions are not arranged on a territorial basis.