Captain CROOKSHANKasked the Minister of Health if he can give the latest figures showing the number of persons of each category who have received benefits, which were not previously available, under the Widows', Orphans', and Old Age Contributory Pensions Act, 1925?
Mr. CHAMBERLAINThe following statement shows the number of persons in England and Wales who were awarded pensions or allowances under the Contributory Pensions Act, 1925, up to 31st March, 1929:
Widows 283,923 Children 336,000 Orphans 20,000 Persons between 65 and 70 605,211 In addition 265,172 persons over the age of 70 received unrestricted old age pensions under the Old Age Pensions Acts of 1908 to 1924 by virtue of the Contributory Pensions Act, 1925, but it is not possible to say how many of these persons could have satisfied the means test under the old Acts and would, therefore, have been entitled independently of the Act of 1925. The figure, however, 2042W includes 16,000 persons who were formerly in receipt of pensions at reduced rates under the old Acts.