WIDOWS', ORPHANS' AND OLD AGE CONTRIBUTORY PENSIONS. (Hansard, 28 June 1927)

§ Mr. BATEY

I beg to move: That leave be given to bring in a Bill to amend paragraph (c) of Sub-section (1) of Section seven of the Widows', Orphans' and Old Age Contributory Pensions Act, 1925. This Measure is introduced to effect a small amendment of the present law, but a very necessary one. When the Act was under consideration in this House it was perhaps impossible, seeing that it was a very large Bill, for hon. Members to realise that this difficulty would arise; it was found out only when the Bill came to be put into force. A hardship is being inflicted upon the wives of men who, as we believe, are entitled to a pension under the Act. When the Bill was going through we really did believe that we had made provision for men who had complied with the conditions to obtain the old age pension when they reached 65 years of age, at least when they were 65 years of age on 1st January, 1928. We also thought that when that man's wife became 65 years of age, she too would be entitled to an old age pension. A man who reaches 70 years of age between now and 1st January, 1928, claims the old 218 age pension under the Old Age Pension Act. Although that man would have been entitled to the old age pension at 65 in January, 1928, simply because he has reached 70 years of age, he is told that his wife is not entitled to a pension until she reaches 70 years of age. I have here the case of an old man who wrote to me a letter which is an example that puts the matter far clearer than I could put it, and I propose to read it to the House in order that hon. Members may see exactly what we mean by amending this Clause. I will not give the name or the address of the writer, but the letter is as follows: I note that on Tuesday you intend to introduce a Bill to correct a defect in the Contributory Pensions Bill. Take the case of myself and wife, for example. I have paid to the State Insurance both parts since 1912, and am still paying. I am 70 in September and shall be qualified to receive it, but my wife is 67 in September, and she was under the impression that she would be entitled to it in January next, being the wife of an insured person. She filled up the pink form, and gave all the particulars, but has now received a letter from the Ministry of Health informing her that she is not entitled to it until she reaches the age of 70. We could have managed with a struggle to have carried on with the £1 a week between us. They have taken the extra contributions from me and now they have let me down. The name of the writer is attached to the letter, and he calls himself "A worker in the building trade." It is a case like that we want to meet by this Bill. When a man is entitled to a pension at the beginning of next year that should not deprive his wife from the right of receiving her pension when she is 65 years of age. I content myself with asking for leave to introduce this Amending Bill.