asked the Minister for Social Welfare how the valuation of £3 which was put on the cottage and plot occupied by a person (name supplied), who is in receipt of a widow's pension, is made up.

The rules for the calculation of means for non-contributory widow's pension purposes under the Social Welfare Acts provide for the assessment of the yearly value of any advantage accruing to a person from the use or enjoyment of land or property.

The value of £3 placed on the cottage and plot in the case referred to by the Deputy was made up of £1 a year on the cottage and £2 a year on the produce of the plot.

Does the Minister not agree it is a very mean expedient for the Department to put a value of £3 on the living accommodation of a poor woman for the purpose of depriving her of the pension to which she is entitled?

It is £1, not £3.

Right: £3 is the figure, £2 on the plot which is not being tilled; she is unable to till it and, therefore, is making no use of it. Does the Minister not agree the £3 is put there in order to bring her into a higher income bracket to prevent her from getting the pension to which she is entitled?

No, that is not the position. If the plot is producing nothing, the matter can be reexamined.

Did somebody not look at it?

Somebody did look at it.

There is nothing being produced from the plot and surely an inspector is not going to spend another day and incur further expense in travelling down to see whether he was right the first time?

It was producing when it was inspected.

It was not producing when it was inspected, and I should like the Minister to make available to me the report of the inspection.

It was producing when it was inspected.