§ Mr. ARTHUR LYNCHasked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland whether his attention has been called to a resolution proposed at a meeting of the county Clare pension committee at Ennistymon, on 4th September, 1909, by Daniel O'Loghlen, chairman of the Clare County Council, and seconded by Michael Leyden, chairman of the Ennistymon District Council, and unanimously adopted, calling attention to the decisions of the Local Government Board in cases where pension applicants have assigned their holdings according to ancient and long-established custom, and to the standard of income, based on maintenance, set up by pension officers and the Local Government Board, and asking for an inquiry to establish a fixed standard of value in all such cases in the interest of applicants for old age pensions, instead of leaving the 2171W question of income entirely in the hands of the pension officer; and whether he will indicate how he intends to meet the alleged grievances?
§ Mr. BIRRELLThis resolution has already been brought to my notice. It would be impossible to fix a standard value of maintenance that would be applicable to all cases in which claimants have assigned their holdings to others. The circumstances and mode of living vary in different households; and the Local Government Board, therefore, deal with each case on its own merits, by making a separate computation of the value of the maintenance and privileges which the particular claimant enjoys in consideration of the assignment of his holding.