§ Mr. FIELDasked the Chief Secretary whether, in view of the increased price in the necessaries of life, the Government will consider the advisability of increasing allowances to old-age pensioners; and whether the attention of pensioners who are ill has been drawn to the fact that they can obtain relief from the Poor Law without forfeiting their pensions?
§ Mr. BIRRELLAs regards the first part of the question, I would refer the hon. Member to the answer given by the Chancellor of the Exchequer to the questions of the hon. Member for the Attercliffe Division and the hon. Member for the Tottenham Division on the 20th ult. As regards the latter part of the question, no such intimation has been issued by the Board to the pensioners individually, but boards of guardians have been made aware of the state of the law on the subject.