HC Deb 12 November 1928 vol 222 cc509-12W
Mr. TINNE

asked the Minister of Health the numbers, respectively, of

Mr. BETTERTON

The following Table shows the numbers of persons on the Live Registers of the Employment Exchanges at Plymouth and Devonport, respectively, on each Monday of August, September and October, 1928.

Government employés, municipal employés, insurance company employés, and all others who were compulsory contributors but were excluded from being voluntary contributors under the Widows', Orphans', and Old Age Contributory Pensions Act, 1925, on the ground that they had not sent in their applications within the period allowed?

Sir K. WOOD

I regret that the information asked for by my hon. Friend is not available.

Mr. BUCHANAN

asked the Minister of Health the number of women who have been refused either an old age pension or a widow's pension on the ground that the husband had reached the age of 70 before 4th January, 1928?

Sir K. WOOD

The hon. Member would appear to be under a misapprehension with regard to widows' pensions. The widow of a man who was over 70 on 2nd January, 1928, would not on that account be disentitled to a widow's pension. As regards England, the number of claims for old age pensions made by married women who were under 70 on 2nd January, 1928, which were rejected because their husbands were over 70 on that date is approximately 10,000. This number does not include claims which though rejected on the first application were subsequently admitted on the wives attaining the age of 70.

Colonel ENGLAND

asked the Minister of Health the number of widows in receipt, at the latest available date, of a pension by reason of their having children under the age of 14 years; and the total number of widows in receipt of a widow's pension under the Widows', Orphans', and Old Age Contributory Pensions Act?

Mr. CHAMBERLAIN

As regards England and Wales, on 30th September last, the latest date for which the information is available, 74,820 widows were receiving pensions by reason of their having children under the age of 14; the total number of widows in receipt of widows' pensions on the same date was 201,307.

Colonel ENGLAND

asked the Minister of Health the number of Children in respect of whom allowances are being paid under the Widows', Orphans', and Old Age Contributory Pensions Act; and how many of these children are orphans and are receiving the orphans' allowance?

Mr. CHAMBERLAIN

As regards England and Wales, the number of children in receipt of children's allowances or orphans' pensions on 30th September last, the latest date for which the information is available, was 239,020; of these 13,019 were orphans in receipt of orphans' pensions.

Colonel ENGLAND

asked the Minister of Health the total number of old age pensions, both contributory and non-contributory, payable on the last available date, and the value of such payments?

Mr. CHAMBERLAIN

In the last week of September the number of old age pensions payable under the Contributory Pensions Act, 1925, in England and Wales to persons between the ages of 65 and 70 was 463,665 and the number payable under the Acts of 1908–1924 by virtue of the Contributory Pensions Act, 1925, to persons over 70 was 274,202. The approximate value of these pensions per annum would be £12,055,000 and £7,129,000 respectively. As regards the pensions under the Acts of 1908–1924, to which the means restriction applies, a question should be addressed to the Financial Secretary to the Treasury.