§ Mr. MORRELLasked the President of the Local Government Board if he will state, as regards the borough of Burnley, 1961W the number of old age pensioners in the borough in the month of March in each year since the Act came into operation; the approximate annual cost of such pensions; the extra rate that would be necessary, having regard to the rateable value of the borough, if pensions were a local charge; the number of paupers over seventy years of age within the borough in each of the same years, excluding lunatics in asylums, etc., and the reduction in numbers and the reduction per cent. of such paupers as compared with the period before the Act was passed?
§ Mr. HERBERT SAMUELThe following statement contains such particulars as are available as regards the points mentioned by my hon. Friend. Number of old age pensioners in the county borough of Burnley on the last Friday of March in the several years under-mentioned:—
The estimated cost of the pensions for the year 1912–13 was £16,083, equivalent to the produce of a rate of 8.91d. in the £ on the assessable value of the borough. The numbers of paupers over seventy years of age (excluding lunatics in asylums, etc.) in the county borough on the under-mentioned dates were:—
Year. 1911 … … … … 1,247 1912 … … … … 1,286 1913 … … … … 1,292 1914 … … … … 1,326 The above figures show a reduction of 315 in the number between March, 1906, and January, 1914, being a reduction of 75 per cent.
31st March, 1906 418 1st January, 1911 … … 242 1st January, 1912 … … 91 1st January, 1913 … … 97 1st January, 1914 … … 103