§ Mr. A. R. KENNEDYasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether his attention has been drawn to the hardships suffered by claimants for old age pensions, particularly during a period of depressed trade, owing to the amount earned for the previous 12 months being taken into account in estimating the means of a claimant; and whether he is prepared to initiate legislation to obviate this hardship by provision that the rate of pension shall be based upon the means of the applicant at the time of application, subject to cessation or reduction of the pension if on resumption of work the earnings are more than the statutory amount, or otherwise?
§ Mr. McNEILL:I am aware that in the comparatively few cases where the means of a claimant to an old age pension cannot be otherwise determined, the means are, under Section 2 (1) (b) of the Old Age Pensions Act, 1911, taken to be the income actually received during the year preceding the date of the claim, but it is open to a claimant to have his case reviewed at any time. The Government is not prepared to initiate legislation in the sense suggested in the second part of the question.
§ Colonel DAYasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he can state, as far as the figures are available for the year ended 31st March, 1925, the total amount paid in old age pensions and the cost of administration for the Borough of Southwark, stating those for men and those for women separately; and the number of claims rejected and the various causes for rejection?
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§ Mr. McNEILL:I regret that the information requested by the hon. Member is not available, as detailed statistics of old age pensions in each separate area throughout the country are not compiled.