HC Deb 27 April 1914 vol 61 cc1358-9W
Mr. WING

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he is aware that in Durham and Northumberland there are 500 homes for aged miners, with rent, coals, and gas free, provided by the weekly payments of working miners and gifts from the colliery proprietors; is he aware that the old age pension officers are deducting the weekly value of house rent, coals, and gas from these aged people's pensions; and will he put an immediate stop to those deductions by Order or introduce legislation for this purpose, in order to prevent this movement from being crushed?

Mr. LLOYD GEORGE

I have no knowledge of the particular cases referred to, but I may remind the hon. Member that rent, coals and gas provided free of charge constitute a benefit or privilege enjoyed by the recipients, and must, as such, under Section 2 (1) (d) of the Old Age Pensions Act, 1911, be taken into account as part of the means of the recipients for the purpose of determining the amount of pension, if any, to which they are entitled.