§ Mr. Broadasked the Minister of Health whether he will state the number of persons in receipt of old age pensions, and the number of their dependants, who are receiving public assistance relief in the borough of Bilston and the urban districts of Sedgeley and Coseley, Staffordshire; the estimated annual cost to be met 2462W out of rates; and the block grants and the equivalent rate per £?
§ Mr. ElliotI regret that the information desired is not available. The return which I obtained from the local authorities in regard to the number of old age pensioners in receipt of poor relief, and the cost of that relief, did not contain particulars for separate parts of an administrative county.
§ Mr. Cocksasked the Minister of Health how many persons are in receipt of non-contributory old age pensions and contributory old age pensions in the city of Nottingham and in the county of Nottinghamshire respectively; how many of these are in receipt of public assistance; and what is the cost per annum to the ratepayers, giving separate figures in each case?
§ Mr. ElliotI regret that the information asked for in the first part of the question is not available, as the records of old age pensioners are not kept on a territorial basis, and that I cannot give separate figures for the two classes of pensioners. During the week ended the nth March last the number of old age pensioners under the Old Age Pensions Act, 1936, and the Widows', Orphans', and Old Age Contributory Pensions Act, 1936, who were in receipt of outdoor relief in the city and county of Nottingham were 2,897 and 2,460 respectively. The estimated annual cost of out-relief to old age pensioners and their dependants falling to be met out of rates and the block grants is about £60,000 for the city and about £45,000 for the county.