§ Mr. GROVESasked the Minister of Health if he will inquire into the circumstances attending the refusal, under the Widows', Orphans and Old Age Contributory Pensions Act, of a pension to Mrs. Ward, the widow of the late William John Ward, of 176, Mayor Road, Stratford, E.?
Mr. CHAMBERLAINI have made inquiry and find that the widow's application shows that her husband was born on 15th April, 1853. He was therefore over 70 at the commencement of the Act and his widow is only entitled to a pension if the conditions of Section 19 of the Act are satisfied. One of these conditions is that there should be living at the death of the husband at least one child under the age of 14 and, as the application shows that there were no children under 14, the claim cannot succeed.