§ Mr. GROVESasked the Minister of Health the number of persons receiving indoor assistance from the West Ham board of guardians 70 years of age and upwards who would, if they were not in-patients of the central home or infirmary, be in receipt of the old age pension; whether the guardians are in any way reimbursed for the cost of maintenance of these otherwise pensioners; and whether, if they are not so reimbursed, he can consider the necessary machinery for adjustment?
Mr. CHAMBERLAIN1,039 persons were in receipt of institutional relief from the West Ham board of guardians on the 1st January last. Eighty-one of these were in receipt on that date of an old age pension, but it is impossible to state how many would have been qualified for such a pension had they not been inmates of an institution of the guardians. As regards the last two parts of the question, I would refer the hon. Member to the terms of Section 3 of the Old Age Pensions Act, 1919, but I cannot undertake to introduce legislation with the object of providing for reimbursement of guardians in the circumstances indicated by the hon. Member.