§ Mr. GINNELLasked the Secretary to the Treasury if he will state the rule and practice under which the old age pensions granted by local pensions committees in Ireland are successfully resisted by the pension officer and refused by the Local Government Board on the point of age 658W when the name of the applicant cannot be traced in the Census Returns, and when the Census Returns have not been searched?
§ Mr. HOBHOUSE:The effect of an appeal under Section 7 (1) (c) of the Old Age Pensions Act by the pension officer or by any person aggrieved is, under the provisions of that Sub-section, to render inoperative any decision which has been arrived at upon the claim by a local pension committee, and to require the claim to be considered de novo by the central pension authority and determined by that authority. In deciding whether the statutory condition as to age is fulfilled in the case of any claimant the Local Government Board, as the central pension authority, must have regard to such evidence as may be before them, including the report of the pension officer upon his investigation of the claim. The rules laid down for the guidance of the pension officer in the matter are contained in the Second Schedule of the Old Age Pensions Regulations, 1908. The Census Returns are searched, provided that the necessary particulars for search are obtainable, in all cases where satisfactory documentary evidence of the age of a claimant for a pension is not forthcoming from other quarters.