§ Mr. Messerasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he is aware of the great hardship caused to old age pensioners who enter an institution or hospital in consequence of the cost of maintenance and treatment being assessed as income; and whether he now proposes introducing legislation to prevent the continuation of this hardship?
§ Sir J. SimonAfter an initial period the fact that a non-contributory pensioner is being maintained at the expense of an institution or hospital is taken into account in assessing his means. Otherwise, the pensioner would be receiving both free maintenance and pension, and as in most cases the bulk of his pension is appropriated by the local authority any change as suggested would operate in the main as a grant-in-aid of local expenditure rather than to the advantage of the pensioner. The Government are not prepared to introduce legislation to effect this change.