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

Mr. T. THOMSON:

I beg to move, in page 26, line 37, to leave out the word "four," and to insert instead thereof the word "thirteen."

Paragraph (c) of Sub-section (1) authorises the Minister to make payments before a pension is authorised between the time the claim comes in and the date of final adjudication, for a period not exceeding four weeks. A month is not a sufficiently long time to provide for the negotiations that may take place, and this Amendment suggests a period of 13 weeks. If the right hon. Gentleman cannot increase the period of 13 weeks, perhaps he will increase the very limited period of four weeks. All of us who have experience in connection with claims made for unemployment insurance or pensions know that often a considerable time elapses between the original making of the claim and its final settlement. Four weeks is a very limited time, and as the matter is entirely within the discretion of the Minister, he will not be giving anything away by agreeing to an extension of time.