§ Mr. Buchananasked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he is aware that Mrs. O'Dowd, 16, Hillside Street, Glasgow, was refused her claim for a widow's pension; that her late husband was employed for over 30 years with the Glasgow Corporation; that he was retired from work owing to having reached the age of 65; and if he will cause further inquiry to be made into this case and have representations made to the referee to have an oral hearing of this case?
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§ Mr. ColvilleThe hon. Member is, I think, familiar with the details of this case. The difficulty, as he knows, arises from the fact that Mr. O'Dowd was held by the referees to have been under the age of 65 years when he retired, and not to have entered into voluntary insurance before reaching that age with a view to continuing his pension rights. I have sympathetically examined the case; but the questions at issue having been determined by independent referees whose decision, under Statute, is final, I regret that there are no further steps I can take.