§ Sir FORTESCUE FLANNERYasked the Secretary to the Treasury whether, in view of the increasing cost of living, he will state what arrangements have been made to enable the concessions under Cd. 8320 and other concessions to apply to applicants for old age pensions, seeing that at the present time war bonuses and additional help from sources and organisations granted to prospective applicants for old age pensions to enable them to live is being assessed as income and thus disentitles them to or reduces the old age pensions?
§ Mr. BALDWINThe receipt of war bonuses or voluntary assistance does not necessarily disentitle the recipient to the grant of an old age pension, or result in the grant of a pension at less than the full rate. The enjoyment of income of the kind referred to can only have the effect suggested when it raises the claimant's total means above the limits laid down in the Old Age Pensions Acts. I am afraid that I cannot undertake to initiate legislation with the object suggested by the hon. Member.
§ Sir F. FLANNERYasked what arrangements have been made to ensure that the old age pension shall substitute the disablement benefit in all cases of insured persons, seeing that aged and frugal insured persons are not entitled to the advantages of Cd. 8320?
§ Mr. BALDWINI understand the hon. Member's suggestion to be that a person who has been in receipt of disablement benefit under the National Health Insurance Acts up to the age of seventy shall, without regard to the amount of his other income, be entitled to claim an old age pension on his attaining that age. I am afraid I cannot agree to the proposal,320W which would involve legislation. As disablement benefit under the above Acts ceases on the recipient attaining the age of seventy, the benefit is excluded from the assessment of means for pension purposes, and if in any case the recipient is refused a pension on the ground of means, it can only be because he is in enjoyment of other income in excess of the statutory limit for a pension.