§ Mr. Lipsonasked the Minister of Health whether he will state the number of persons at present receiving old age pensions; what proportion of them are also in receipt of Poor Law relief; and the total amount of that relief?
§ Sir K. WoodThe total number of old age pensioners in England and Wales at the 31st December, 1937, was 2,296,908. Particulars are not yet available in regard to the proportion of these persons who were in receipt of poor relief on that date, but the corresponding proportion at 1st January, 1937, was 9.7 per cent. As regards the last part of the question, the returns received in my Department do not distinguish the cost of poor relief to old age pensioners.