§ Sir H. CAYZERasked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury whether he is aware that a person entitled to an old age pension is debarred from receiving it by reason of admission to a home supported by voluntary contributions, pensions officers under the provisions of the Old Age Pensions Act taking into account for income purposes the value of 1243W the person's maintenance therein; and if he will consider taking steps to prevent this hardship by instructing the pensions officers to exclude, in calculating a person's means, the value of any free maintenance received in a home which is supported entirely by voluntary contributions?
§ Mr. PETHICK-LAWRENCEUnder the existing law the yearly value of any benefit or privilege enjoyed by a person must be taken into account in calculating his means for purposes of the non-contributory old age pension, and accordingly I am unable to issue an instruction to pension officers in the sense suggested.