asked the Minister for Local Government and Public Health if he will state (a) the total number of applications for (1) widows' and (2) orphans' pensions received under the Widows' and Orphans' Pensions Acts, 1935-37, up to the end of October, 1938; (b) the number of applications decided up to and including October 31st, 1938; (c) the number of applications in respect of which (1) contributory and (2) non-contributory pensions were granted; (d) the number of (1) contributory and (2) non-contributory pensions paid in respect of the last week of October, 1938; and (e) the average weekly amount paid per week in the year 1938 in respect of (1) contributory and (2) non-contributory pensions.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Widows' and Orphans' Pensions.
The information required by the Deputy is set out in a detailed statement which will be printed in the Official Report.
Following is the statement:—(a) The total numbers of applications received under the Widows' and Orphans' Pensions Acts, 1935-37, up to the 31st October, 1938, were 42,240 applications for widows' pensions, and 1,657 applications for orphans' pensions; (b) the numbers of applications decided up to and including October 31st, 1938, were 41,373 applications for widows' pensions and 1,603 applications for orphans' pensions; (c) up to the 31st October, 1938, the number of applications in respect of which contributory pensions were granted was 3,040, and the number of applications in respect of which non-contributory pensions were granted was 33,567; (d) the number of contributory and non-contributory pensions paid in respect of the last week of October, 1938, is not known, but the number payable in respect of that week was 31,615, consisting of 2,967 contributory pensions and 28,648 non-contributory pensions; (e) the average weekly amount of widows' and orphans' pensions paid per week in the year 1938 is not yet known, but the average amount payable per week, including pensions paid in arrear, up to the 31st October, 1938, was £2,025 8/5 in respect of contributory pensions and £8,874 1/7 in respect of non-contributory pensions.