§ Mr. REDDYasked the Chief Secretary for Ireland whether Mrs. Fitzstratton, of Banagher, King's County, aged seventy-two, has been refused an old age pension by the local pension sub-committee on the grounds that, although born and brought up in Banagher, she spent some years in Belgium, from which she returned home seven years ago; and whether her temporary residence in Belgium disqualifies her for an old age pension?
§ Mr. SHORTTThe Local Government Board have no knowledge of cases dealt with by local pensions committees, except such as are referred to them on appeal, and there is no record of an appeal in this case. Under Section 3 (2) of the Old Age Pensions Act, 1911, it is enacted that it shall be a statutory condition for the receipt of an old age pension that the person must satisfy the pension authorities that for at least twelve years in the aggregate out of twenty she has resided in the United Kingdom. It would appear, from the question, that Mrs. Fitzstratton has only spent seven of the last twenty years in the United Kingdom.