Major BARNESasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what would be the annual amount required to increase by 50 per cent. the pensions granted prior to 3rd August, 1914, to the police, to other pensioners of the State, to pensioners of the local authorities, and of the railway companies, giving the amounts separately in each case?
Mr. CHAMBERLAINWithout detailed examination of the pension papers of all claimants I can give no exact 2055W answer to this question, and such detailed examination would involve an expenditure of money and time that I do not feel justified in undertaking. At a guess I should say that the cost to the Exchequer would not be less than £4,000,000 in the first year. I cannot give any figures for local authorities or for the 2056W railway companies. I may add that the proposal is open to the obvious objection that it gives the maximum of benefits to those already in receipt of the largest sum, and the minimum of advantage to those with the smallest pensions. It would, therefore, not be an appropriate method of meeting hard cases.