§ Mr. E. Smithasked the Minister of Health whether it is a definite instruction to Assistance Boards when assessing income for the purposes of supplementary pensions, that they shall disregard the first 7s. 6d. of any allotment from a son serving with the forces of the Crown or in the Merchant Navy, also of any pension that may be payable in respect of a son lost in the four years' war, or whether this is a matter left to the discretion of the local Assistance Board?
§ Mr. E. BrownNone of the payments to which my hon. Friend refers falls within the classes of income which are required by statute to be disregarded. The Assistance Board in the exercise of their discretion have however decided that in general the first 7s. 6d. a week of an allotment shall be disregarded in assessing the normal rate of supplementary pension. The appropriate treatment of cases where there are more than two allotments or the pensioner has, in addition to his main pension, other income not subject to a statutory disregard is decided in the light of the facts of the individual case, but in all such cases a minimum of 15s., or, in a household case, 20s. a week is disregarded. As regards pensions payable in respect of sons lost in the four years' war the question whether they are to be disregarded or not depends on the circumstances of the case and in particular whether the pension was awarded on a needs basis. As my right hon. Friend the Minister of Pensions informed my hon. Friend the Member for Wallsend (Miss1278W Ward) on 20th November the nature of the arrangements to be made in connection with grants based on need is under discussion between his Department and the Board.
§ Mr. Smithasked the Minister of Health what increase is given to a pensioner in receipt of a supplementary pension in respect of the increase in the cost of living; and whether this increase and the fuel allowance is granted to all pensioners in receipt of a supplementary pension; or whether the cost-of-living allowance and the fuel allowance is only issued at the discretion of the local Assistance Boards.
§ Mr. BrownThe Supplementary Pensions Regulations provide for the addition to the basic rates set out therein of 1s. 6d. a week for each person of the age of 16 years or over and of 9d. a week for each person under that age whose needs are included with those of the applicant. These additions, which are related to the general level of prices, are included automatically in every assessment. As regards fuel allowances I would refer my hon. Friend to the answers to his other questions on the Paper on that topic.
§ Mr. Smithasked the Minister of Health (1) whether, seeing that the price of coal is from 3s. to 4s. a hundredweight, he will arrange that the winter fuel allowance granted to persons in receipt of supplementary pensions shall vary according to the price of coal in the area in which the pensioner resides, and that in all cases the allowance should not be less than the sum necessary to purchase one hundredweight of coal weekly during the 22 weeks, from November to March inclusive;
(2) whether he can give particulars of the instruction to local Assistance Boards authorising them to withhold a fuel allowance if part of the income of a couple has been disregarded under the general regulations; whether he will cause instructions to be issued that any sum disregarded, whether war disability pension, friendly societies' sick pay, National Health Insurance benefit, workmen's compensation, sickness payments under the Old Age and Widows' Pension Act, 1940, parent's pension for son lost in the four years war, or allotment from a son serving in the Forces or Merchant Navy, shall not again be taken into consideration when a case is before the Assistance Board for additional grant?
1279W
§ Mr. BrownThe Supplementary Pensions Regulations confer on the Assistance Board a discretionary power to increase a supplementary pension, by such amount as is reasonable in all the circumstances of the case, where special needs due to winter conditions exist. The ordinary rates of supplementary pension include provision for a certain amount of fuel and the additions made during the winter months are intended to provide extra fuel in those cases where the pensioner has to provide it and where, if no such addition were made, the pensioner would suffer hardship. The Board do not think that hardship can be said to exist in any case where the pensioner has substantial resources in addition to his main and supplementary pensions and the instruction to the officers is on this basis. A winter addition is however made where such additional resources are less than 5s. a week or are regarded as meeting special needs and in any case where other special circumstances justify it. As regards the amount of the addition the Board do not feel that it would be practicable to relate this so closely as my hon. Friend suggests to the precise cost of fuel in a particular locality, but where the cost is exceptionally high the addition may be increased. The Board's view is that in general the quantity of fuel which can be provided out of the special allowance together with that which is provided for in the ordinary allowance is sufficient in all normal cases. Exceptional cases are of course dealt with on their merits.
§ Mr. Smithasked the Minister of Health whether he will consider increasing the supplementary pensions in cases where it is desired to forward parcels to sons or grandsons serving in the Armed Forces?
§ Mr. BrownThe Assistance Board inform me that they do not think they would be justified in increasing a supplementary pension for the purpose indicated by my hon. Friend. He will of course appreciate that where a son or grandson is making an allotment the first 7s. 6d. a week of that allotment is ignored in assessing the supplementary pension and can therefore be used for the purpose mentioned if the pensioner so desires.
§ Mr. Smithasked the Minister of Health whether an increase can be made in the payments of supplementary pensions to persons living as one of a house- 1280W hold, from 3s. 6d. for a male and 2s. 6d. for a female, to a 5s. maximum rate, plus rent, cost of living and fuel allowances?
§ Mr. BrownThe rates to which my hon. Friend refers were approved by Parliament as recently as May last and the Assistance Board inform me that they see no reason to propose any alterations in them. In the view of the Board the difference between these rates and the rate for a pensioner living alone no more than reflects the difference in the expenses incurred by a person who has to bear the full burden of providing fuel, light and other overheads for himself and those incurred by one who has the advantage of the economies derived from sharing such expenses with others.
§ Mr. Smithasked the Minister of Health the total number of applications made, up to date, for supplementary pensions; the number granted; the average amount; and can he make a general statement regarding the administration of the supplementary pensions?
§ Mr. BrownI regret that information in the form asked for by my hon. Friend is not available and could not be obtained without the expenditure of considerable amount of staff time. During October fresh or repeat applications were received at the rate of about 7,000 cases a week, on which on the average about 6,000 supplementary pensions were granted, the remainder being rejected or withdrawn. The average weekly payment in supplementary pension cases at that time was about 9s. 6d. As regards the latter part of the Question, as my hon. Friend is aware, the Assistance Board has undertaken to make a report after the end of the year on the working of the Determination of Needs Act.
§ Mr. Smithasked the Minister of Health whether, considering the difficulty young persons on 20s. a week wages have of maintaining themselves, even if living as one of a household, arrangements can be made that persons earning 20s. a week shall not be imputed as contributing 2S. 6d. a week to parents applying for a supplementary pension, but that no Government imputation of contribution should be made unless the earnings of a son or daughter exceeds 30s. a week in all cases where an application is being 1281W made for a supplementary old age or widow's pension and there are children above school age living at home?
§ Mr. BrownNo contribution is assumed to be made by a member of a household earning 20s. a week or less. As regards the contribution of 2s. 6d. a week which is assumed to be made by persons earning more than 20s. and not more than 30s. a week (which was approved by Parliament as recently as May last) the Assistance Board point out that it represents no more than a reasonable contribution towards the cost of the accommodation and other overhead expenses which the wage earner shares with the pensioner and for which provision is made in the supplementary pension.
§ Mr. Smithasked the Minister of Health the number of applications made for supplementary pensions in the Stoke-on-Trent area; the number granted and the average amount; the number of appeals against the determination and the number of successful appeals?
§ Mr. BrownThe information available is as follows: In the Assistance Board's administrative area of Stoke-on-Trent at the end of October, 1941, supplementary pensions were being paid to or in respect of approximately 3,500 old-age pensioners, including widow pensioners who have attained the age of 60. During October, fresh or repeat applications were received at the rate of about 20 a week, on which on the average about 18 supplementary pensions were granted, the remainder being rejected or withdrawn. During October, four appeals against the determinations made by the Board's officers were lodged and four were brought forward from September. The determination was confirmed in two cases, a substituted determination was made in two cases, one case was withdrawn, and the remainder were awaiting hearing at the end of the month. Information regarding the weekly amounts payable at particular offices is not available.
§ Mr. Smithasked the Minister of Health the number of applications for each administrative area, respectively, made for supplementary pensions; the number granted and the average amount granted; the number of appeals made against determinations and the number of successful appeals?
1282W
§ Mr. BrownI regret that the information necessary to enable the Assistance Board to compile a statement on the lines indicated is not available and could only be obtained by the expenditure of a large amount of staff time which could not in the present circumstances be justified.