§ Sir R. Clarryasked the Minister of Health whether he will state the total number of old age pensioners, aged 70 years and over, under the Old Age Pensions Act at any recent convenient date; what proportion of this number receive relief from public assistance committees, and also similar figures with respect to pensioners under the Widows', Orphans', and Old Age Contributory Pensions Act; and whether he will give the relative costs per annum of the above paid respectively 1481W by the Exchequer and by public assistance committees through the local authorities?
§ Mr. ElliotAt 31st December, 1937, 1,571,285 persons in England and Wales were in receipt of old age pensions under the Old Age Pensions Act. Of this number 1,049,207 were in receipt of over 70 pensions payable by virtue of the Widows', Orphans' and Old Age Contributory Pensions Act.
There were also 721,558 widows and 729,580 persons between the ages of 65 and 70 in receipt of pensions at 31st December, 1937, under the Contributory Pensions Act.
Approximately 10.0 per cent. of the total number of old age pensioners and 8.3 per cent. of the number of widow pensioners were in receipt of poor relief. The returns rendered by poor law authorities do not distinguish between persons between the ages of 65 and 70 in receipt of pensions under the Contributory Pensions Act and persons over the age of 70 in receipt of pensions under the Old Age Pensions Act.
The information asked for in the last part of the question is not available.
§ Mr. R. J. Taylorasked the Minister of Health whether he will state the number of persons in the county of Northumberland in receipt of public assistance in supplementation of their old age pensions; and the cost to the public assistance in providing this relief for the years 1932 to 1938, respectively?
§ Mr. E. J. Williamsasked the Minister of Health whether he will state the number of old age persons in Glamorgan in receipt of public assistance, and the cost for the year 1931, and each year to date?
§ Mr. ElliotFollowing is the answer: Number of old age pensioners in receipt of poor relief on the 1st January in the under-mentioned years.
Information as to the cost of the relief given is not available in my Department.
Year. Northumberland Administrative County. Glamorgan Administrative County. 1932 … 630 6,247 1933 … 726 6,850 1934 … 1,141 7,535 1935 … 1,414 7,433 1936 … 1,693 7,810 1937 … 1,860 8,724 1938 … 2,071 9,620 1939 … 2,158 9,355