§ Mr. CONNOLLYasked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury whether he is aware that an old age pensioner who has been an inmate of a Poor Law institution for medical or surgical treatment for a period exceeding three months must on his discharge make a fresh application for pension; and whether he will consider in such cases the advisability of issuing by the pensions officer to the master of the institution an emergency form, such form to be handed to the pensioner on his release and be available for one week's payment, the pensions issue office to immediately forward a new book to the pensioner?
Mr SAMUELThe answer to the first part of the question is in the affirmative. I may point out, however, that such pensioners may put in applications for new pensions while they are still inmates, so that a book of pension orders may be handed to them at the time when they are discharged. There does not appear to be any reason, therefore, why the present system should cause any hardship. I can hold out no hope of the Government introducing legislation to effect the change suggested.