§ Mr. CAIRNSasked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury whether the Majority Report regarding old age pensions has been considered by the Government; whether there will be an early issue of new claim forms setting forth all particulars for that purpose; and whether an amendment to the Old Age Pension Acts will be made eliminating the present penalties and anomalies?
Mr. YOUNGThe answer to the first part of the question is in the affirmative. His Majesty's Government are not, as has been frequently stated, prepared to re-open the settlement of this question embodied in the Old Age Pensions Act, 1919, by which a very considerable increase was made in the rate of pension. It is proposed to continue to use up the stock of forms of claim in use before the Act, but as the new conditions are explained orally to claimants by the pensions officers no serious inconvenience arises. New claim forms will be issued as soon as the new Old Age Pension Consolidated Regulations are published, which will, I hope, be in a few weeks' time.