§ Major TASKERasked the Minister of Health whether he is aware that, under recently altered procedure, claims for old age and blind pensions are required to be sent first to the Ministry of Health instead of, as formerly, to the pension officers for the localities in which the claimants reside; and that, in consequence of the provisions of Section 6 (1) of the Old Age Pensions Act, 1919, the new procedure will in some cases lead to loss of pension in respect of the first week or weeks of currency contemplated by that Sub-section, and whether he will specify the statutory justification for such action; and, whether he will again amend the procedure so that every claimant shall receive the full amount of pension contemplated by the Subsection?
§ Mr. NEVILLE CHAMBERLAINI am aware that all claims for old age pensions and blind persons' pensions are now sent in the first instance to the Ministry of Health, but my hon. Friend is under a misapprehension in thinking that this arrangement may lead to the loss of a week's pension in some cases. It has been arranged that, for the purposes of Section 6 (1) of the Old Age Pensions Act, 1919, the date of receipt of the claim in the Ministry shall be treated as the date of receipt by the pension officer.