HC Deb 20 April 1910 vol 16 cc2261-3W
Mr. MAURICE HEALY

asked the Secretary to the Treasury whether the clerks, thirty-two in number, to old age pension sub-committees in the county of Cork are still unpaid for services rendered during the quarters ended 30th June, 30th September, and 31st December, 1909, and 31st March, 1910; and, if so, what is the cause of the delay, who is responsible for it, and when payment will be made?

Mr. HOBHOUSE

The accounts for the quarters ended 30th June and 30th September, 1909, were not received until February, 1910. They were examined immediately, but owing to discrepancies between the number of claims and questions charged for, and those certified by the pension officers, a large number of queries had to be sent to the clerk of the committee, and these were despatched on 11th-February last. His replies have not yet been received, and, consequently the discrepancies have not yet been cleared up. The responsibility for the delay in settling these accounts therefore rests with the clerk to the committee. The accounts for the quarters ended 31st December, 1909, and 31st March, 1910, have not yet been received.

Mr. KEATING

asked the Secretary to the Treasury whether he is aware that Mrs. Jane Mahoney, of Windgap, in the county of Kilkenny, received a pension from 1st January, 1909, to 20th September, 1909; whether the sub-committee of the local pension committee, Kilkenny, disallowed the pension on the latter date on the report of the pension officer that the pensioner was not of the qualifying age according to the Census Returns; whether, on the application by private friends to the Public Record Office, it was discovered that the pensioner was in fact eligible from 1st January, 1909, according to the Census Returns, and the sub-committee restored the pensioner on 1st March, 1910, to the list of those qualified; and whether he will, under the circumstances, order that the pensioner should receive arrears of pension from 27th September, 1909, to 1st March, 1910?

Mr. HOBHOUSE

The facts are not quite correctly stated in the hon. Member's question. The pensioner's age is recorded as one and a half years in the Census Returns of 1841, which were taken in the month of June, and as nine years in the Census Returns of 1851. She was therefore disqualified by the local pension committee on 27th September, 1909, on a question raised by the pension officer. There are no arrears of pension due.