§ Mr. O'DONNELLasked the Chief Secretary whether he is aware that several persons in Ireland who were in receipt of old age pensions since the passing of the Act have been recently disqualified on the ground of means by questions raised at the direction of the Treasury; whether he is aware that the support of these old people in congested districts has been estimated by the pension officers from 12s. 6d. to 17s. 6d. a week, or more than the entire farm would yield in the year; and whether, seeing that there has been no alteration in the means of these people 172W since they first got the pension, he will explain why this action was taken by the Treasury?
§ Mr. MASTERMANIt is the duty of a pension officer, under his standing instructions, to raise a question in the case of any pensioner whom he considers to be receiving a pension inconsistent with his means as calculated in accordance with the Old Age Pensions Acts, and it is no doubt the fact that in some instances where a question has been thus raised there has been no change of circumstances since the pension was granted in the first instance. In such cases the raising of a question is expressly authorised by Section 6 (3) of the Act of 1911. I may, however, remind the hon. Member that a pension officer has no power to revoke a pension or to reduce it in rate except in pursuance of a decision by the local pension committee, or of the Local Government Board on appeal.
§ Mr. O'DONNELLasked the Chief Secretary whether he has received from the old age pensions committee, Milltown, county Kerry, a resolution protesting against the action of the Treasury in disqualifying pensioners by means of extravagant estimates of maintenance; and what steps does he propose to take in the matter?
§ Mr. BIRRELLI have received the resolution referred to. I have no jurisdiction to interfere in the matter, as pension officers are responsible only to the Commissioners of Customs and Excise.
§ Mr. O'DONNELLasked the Chief Secretary whether he will make inquiries into the cases of the following old age pensioners, with a view to restoring to them the full pension—namely, Mr. Patrick Morris, Fermoyle; Mr. and Mrs. Hickson, Lispole; Johanna Hutchinson, Moorstown, Dingle, all in the Castlegregory, county Kerry, pension committee?
§ Mr. BIRRELLThe Local Government Board have already given their decision in all these cases, and they have accordingly no power to reopen consideration of them. It is always open to claimants to make a fresh claim if they consider they can produce further evidence in support of their application.