§ Mr. O'SHAUGHNESSYasked the Secretary to the Treasury if he can say what is the percentage of persons receiving old age pensions in each of the three Kingdoms based on the Census Returns of 1841, and if he can say what was the population of England, Ireland, and Scotland in that year?
§ Mr. HOBHOUSEI assume that the information required by the hon. Member is the percentage which the number of pensioners in each country bears to the population as shown in the Census of 1841. These figures are as follows, as regards the number of pensioners on 30th June, 1909, the latest date for which figures are available: England, 2.57 per cent.; Scotland, 2.27 per cent.; Ireland, 2.25 per cent. The population in the year 1841 was: England, 15,914,000; Scotland, 2,620,000; Ireland, 8,175,000.