§ Miss BONDFIELDasked the Minister of Pensions what is the number of widows' pensions that have been forfeited owing to alleged immoral conduct; the number of these cases in which the widow was, or became, the mother of an illegitimate child; whether the Ministry of Pensions acts on anonymous communications; if, concurrent with the investigation by members of the War Pensions Committee, the local police are requested to furnish a report; and, if action is taken on anonymous communications, could he state the number of cases in which it was proved that the anonymous allegations were unfounded?
Lieut.-Colonel STANLEYI regret that the records of the Ministry do not enable me to give the information asked for in the first two parts of the question; but I am informed that during the past three years pension has been declared forfeited by the Special Grants Committee in 1,596 cases, whilst in the same period 576 pensions that had previously been forfeited have been restored. Allegations of misconduct made anonymously are acted on to the extent only that they may form the subject of inquiry, but in no case is investigation by the police employed unless and until the War Pensions Committee concerned have had an opportunity of inquiring into and expressing an opinion on the case. I understand that there is no record of the number of cases referred to in the last part of the question.