49. Captain WATSONasked whether the Government is aware of the feeling amongst friendly societies and trade unions that, owing to the present system of calculating incomes for the purposes of old age pensions, thrift and frugality are penalised; and whether the Government is prepared to recommend that the income limit, to include the old age pension, be raised to £1 a week?
§ Mr. BALDWINA number of Resolutions on the subject referred to have been received. The exising income limit is fixed by law, and could not be raised without an alteration of the Old Age Pensions Acts. Important concessions, as doubtless the hon. Member is aware, have already been granted to old age pensioners under the administrative concessions set out in Cd. 8320. Pensioners generally are also in receipt of the additional old age pension allowance of 2s. 6d. per week.