asked the Secretary to the Treasury if he will state the number of old age pensioners, male and female, and rates of pension on 31st March, 1918, the cost of old age pensions, the cost of administration, and the cost of additional allowances in the year 1917–18; the number of pensioners in receipt of the additional allowances; whether any pensioners are in receipt of additional allowances of less than an amount of 2s. 6d. a week, and, if so, why; will he give the number of such cases; the number of old age Pension claims refused in the year 1917–18, giving the number of eases on account of income, convictions, pauperism, and alien disqualification; the number of deaths of old age pensioners; and the number of claims to old ago pensions in the year 1917–18?

The answer to the several parts of this question is as follows:I. Number of old age pensioners and rates of pension payable on the last Friday in March., 1918:

5s.	…	…	881,881
4s.	…	…	19,698
3s.	…	…	22,840
2s.	…	…	11,767
1s.	…	…	6,888
Total	…	…	943,077

Separate figures cannot be given of the number of men and women in receipt of pensions at the various rates. Of the total of 943,077 pensioners, 336,581 were men and 606,496 women.II. Approximately £11,855,000.III. Approximately £500,000.IV. Approximately £5,204,300.V. Of the total of 943,077 pensioners, 933,572 were in receipt of the additional allowance as well as of the pension.VI. and VII. No pensioners have been in receipt of additional allowances at a less rate than 2s. 6d. a week since the new scheme of additional allowances came into force on the 10th August, 1917.