§ Mr. Dobbieasked the Minister of Health whether he can inform the House as to the number of people in the country who are in receipt of old age pensions; and the total cost to the local authorities in the country of public assistance relief to old age pensioners?
§ Mr. ElliotThe following statement contains the detailed particulars received from the local authorities in regard to the number of old age pensioners in receipt of poor relief and the cost of that relief, which I announced in the House on the 16th February that I was obtaining.
Administrative Counties and County Boroughs. Week ending nth March, 1939. Estimated annual cost of out-relief in money or in kind to old age pensioners and their dependants falling to be met out of rates and the Block Grants.* Number of old age pensioners to whom out-relief in money and kind was granted during the week. Number of dependants of persons in Col. 1 other than those who are themselves in receipt of old age pensions. Total cost of out-relief in money or in kind granted to persons accounted for in Cols. 2 and 3. Amount. Equivalent rate in the pound. 1 2 3 4 5 6 ADMINISTRATIVE COUNTIES. £ £ s. d. England: Bedford 432 46 144 7,509 1 . 2 Berks 615 114 217 11,335 1 . 7 Buckingham 894 132 266 13,870 1 . 6 Cambridge 442 114 163 8,499 2 . 3 Chester 2,627 461 921 48,024 2 . 7 Cornwall 868 224 213 11,106 1 . 9 Cumberland 1,531 451 687 35,822 11 . 3 Derby 3,060 599 1,064 55,480 4 . 5 Devon 1,236 364 396 20,649 1 . 6 Dorset 1,008 192 375 19,554 2 . 9 Durham 12,032 3,151 6,015 313,639 2 0 . 3 Ely, Isle of 395 49 139 7,248 6 . 4 Essex 5,275 939 2,047 106,736 2 . 7 Gloucester 1,212 273 365 19,032 2 . 9 Hereford 332 114 88 4,589 2 . 1 Hertford 987 172 371 19,345 1 . 2 Huntingdon 142 30 47 2,451 2 . 9 Kent 4,920 935 1,859 96,934 2 . 2 Lancaster 10,484 1,677 4,415 230,211 5 . 5 Leicester 839 149 272 14,183 2 . 6