§ Mr. Sorensenasked the Minister of Health whether he will take steps to secure that applicants for supplementary old age pensions may obtain the appropriate forms at any Post Office instead of being informed that they can only get them at the Post Office where they usually receive their pension; and whether it is with his knowledge and approval that some applicants are required to answer 58W questions relative to their application respecting the income and expenditure of a son-in-law or of married children living away from their parents' home?
Miss HorsrughApplication forms for supplementary old age pensions can be obtained at any Post Office and no instruction has been given that they can be had only at the office at which the pension is drawn. Any such statement is unauthorised and my right hon. Friend the Postmaster-General will gladly inquire into any particular case. As regards the second part of the Question, the Assistance Board inform me that while they are obliged to make inquiries respecting the resources of members of an applicant's household, they are not aware of any case in which inquiries have been made into the financial circumstances of anyone who is not living in the applicant's home. If the hon. Member has any particular case in mind, the Board would be glad to have details.