§ 40. Lord H. CAVENDISH-BENTINCKasked the Minitser of Health whether in view of the statement in the actuary's Report on the Widows', Orphans', and Old Age Contributory Pensions Bill, on page five that women during their period of employment will make a contribution towards the benefits to which they will be entitled, either in their own right or as the wives and widows of insured men, he will state what amount of the women's weekly contribution will be used for widows' and orphans' pensions?
Mr. CHAMBERLAINThe financial provisions of the Bill do not require the contributions received to be allocated between the expenditure arising on the different types of benefit. As my Noble Friend will see from paragraph five of the Government Actuary's Report, the rate of contribution for women has not been computed in such a way as to make a specific provision by an insured woman and her employer in respect of each one of the several benefits to which she may become entitled. The contributions paid in respect of women are no more than 1713 payments towards the cost of the benefits to which women will be entitled and are fixed at one-half of the contributions payable in respect of men, which are also devoted largely to the provision of benefits for women. In these circumstances no particular part of the woman's contribution can be assigned to a particular benefit.