§ 87. Mr. E. BROWNasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what would have been the additional cost of Old Age Pensions if the 895,924 recipients, on the last Friday in March, 1923, had all been drawing the full 10s. rate per week?
§ Mr. SNOWDENIt would be impossible to disregard means for existing pensioners as my hon. Friend suggests, and continue to have regard to them in future cases. The extra cost of abolishing the means limit would be £18,000,000 a year, which would automatically increase with the increasing longevity of pensioners to upwards of £29,000,000 a year.
§ Mr. BROWNAs the right hon. Gentleman appears to have misunderstood my question, may I ask if the removal of the disqualification affecting the present recipients would cost £18,000,000?
§ Mr. SNOWDENNo.