§ Mr. BUCHANANasked the Minister of Pensions the total number of cases in which the amount of the need pension has 516W been reduced subsequent to either parent of the dead soldier receiving either a widow's or old age pension during the past 12 months; and the total estimate of the sum saved?
§ Mr. F. O. ROBERTSThis information is not available, as no special record is kept of the adjustments which have from time to time to be made in the about of the War pension, in consequence of any material change in the circumstances of the pensioner, including the grant et old age or widow's pension. With regard to the last part of the question, I may say that the net result of the grant of old age pension or widow's pension to parents already in receipt of need pension is in the aggregate, not a saving, but an increased charge upon the Exchequer for the reasons stated in the answer which I gave on the same point to the hon. Member for Leigh (Mr. Tinker) on 30th June, of which I am sending him a copy.