§ Mr. CHARLETONasked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury (1) whether he is aware of the lack of uniformity between England and Scotland in the presentation of official statistics and of the confusion that frequently arises; and if he will take steps to secure that all statistics relating to those countries shall in future at least cover similar periods and have similar bases;
(2) whether he is aware of the differences in the form and presentation of English and Scottish official Reports, and especially of annual Returns; and if he will take steps to secure that in future there shall be uniformity both as regards extent and form, and that as far as possible English and Scottish Reports or Returns on the same subject shall be issued together in the same volume, with the statistics fully collated?
Mr. SAMUELComplete uniformity in the presentation of official Reports and
— Number of Pensioners. Annual Cost. Navy, Army ami Air Force … 182,972 £14,849,917 Pensions. Additonal Allowances=lump sums. Civil Service … 40,561 £5,176,957 £1,090,665 Teachers … 29,184 £3,269,139 £1,238,073 Great War and disability pensions chargeable to the Ministry of Pensions Vote are excluded from the figures, but disability pensions chargeable to the Service Department Votes cannot be segregated and are included in the Navy, Army and Air Force figures. Gratuities payable on death and expenditure on commutation of pensions are not included.
§ Mr. CHARLETONasked the Minister of Health whether he has any information as to the number of persons at all ages, over 60 and over 65, in receipt of a pension from funds or sources other than those relating to the Civil Service, local authorities, police, teachers, old age pensions, and widows' and orphans' pensions?
§ Mr. GARDNERasked the Minister of Health the number of ex-employés of local authorities at all ages over 60 and over 65 in receipt of pension in respect 52W statistical Returns is impossible owing to differences in the legal and administrative systems of the two countries. A permanent Consultative Committee on Official Statistics has been in existence for some time to assist Departments in the co-ordination of their statistical work, and considerable progress has been made towards uniform presentation by corresponding Departments of England and Scotland.