Mr. TYSON WILSONasked the President of the Local Government Board whether a person who has had an old age pension granted him, but who subsequently through illness is unable to look after himself and is compelled to go in the workhouse infirmary, is disqualified from receiving his pension whilst in the infirmary; and, if not, whether the pension has to be paid to the guardians during the period that he is an inmate of that institution?
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§ Mr. BURNSSpeaking generally, I think that, if a pensioner who is suffering from illness is removed to a Poor Law infirmary for cure or treatment, he is not disqualified for continuing to receive a pension, such relief as he receives, other than surgical or medical assistance, being merely incidental to such assistance. If, however, he became a chronic inmate of the infirmary, the medical character of the relief would cease to preponderate, and disqualification would ensue. With regard to the second part of the question, it is competent for a pensioner who is physically incapable of attending personally at the post office to appoint an officer of the institution or any other person as agent to receive the pension on his behalf. Such an agent (whether an officer of the institution or some other person) can only draw the pension upon a written undertaking on the occasion of each payment to pay the amount to the pensioner forthwith. The guardians are, however, entitled under the Poor Law Acts to take and appropriate money in the possession of any pauper to reimburse them for sums expended in his relief during 12 months' previously.