Orders of the Day — Contributory Pensions Bill.

Part of the debate – in the House of Commons am ar 15 Gorffennaf 1925.

Danfonwch hysbysiad imi am ddadleuon fel hyn

Photo of Mr Samuel March Mr Samuel March , Poplar South Poplar

Well, that is how it appears to me. We are dealing with what happens when the award becomes operative, and we do not usually find that they do become operative until after the decision of the Court is come to. Usually it is the decision of the Court which arranges what the amount is to be, and, surely, that date ought to give the Ministry sufficient time to conduct their business. It is bad enough when they take action after they know what the orphans have been awarded by the Court, but, presumably, they want to take action immediately they hear that the man is dead, even before the case comes into Court. [HON. MEMBERS: "No!"] That is the point of the statement made just now. They want to know immediately the man is killed. Very often months go by before the award is settled. What is going to happen in the meantime. The woman is a widow as soon as she loses her husband, and if her husband has been paying for this benefit, surely, she is entitled to it. It seems to me that all along the line the Government are trying to do their best to prevent either the widow or the children getting the just dues for which the husband has paid. We on this side are entirely against these words, and entirely against the whole Clause.