asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will state in respect of the financial year ended 31st March, 1954 (a) the cost of investigating old age pension claims and (b) the number of claims disallowed.

No separate records are available to show the cost of investigating old age pension claims, as the officers concerned are engaged on many other duties. It is estimated, however, that the cost in the year to 31st March, 1954, was about £9,000. The number of old age pension claims disallowed in the same year was 2,486.

Could the Minister state in respect of the same period the number of pensions increased as a result of the investigations?

I could not; I have not got that information.

That is a separate question.