23. Mr. ROBINSONasked the Minister of Health the number of persons in receipt 316 of sick or disablement benefit, whose benefit ceased on reaching the age of 65, though they were not qualified to receive the old age pension under the Widows', Orphans', and Old Age Contributory Pensions Act, 1925; and if it is proposed to introduce legislation providing that a man eligible for benefit, apart from the age of 65, shall continue to draw disablement benefit until he is qualified for the old age pension?
Mr. CHAMBERLAINThe information asked for in the first part of the question is not available and could only be obtained by a special examination of the records of every one of the 7,000 Approved Societies and Branches administering National Health Insurance and a comparison with the central records relating to claims for old age pensions. Legislation to the effect suggested in the second part of the question is not in contemplation. On the introduction of the scheme of contributory old age pensions the health insurance contribution was readjusted to cover liability for sickness and disablement benefits up to the age of 65 only, and the extension of the title to benefit beyond that age would necessitate an increase in the contribution.
Mr. L'ESTRANGE MALONEIn view of the large surplus available as the result of two and a half years' working, will the right hon. Gentleman consider an amendment of the law to cover these people?
Mr. CHAMBERLAINThere are very-few people concerned. These are only people who entered insurance at the age of 63 or 64.
§ Lieut.-Commander KENWORTHYIf they are very few, will the Minister explain why the contribution would have to be increased?
§ Lieut.-Commander KENWORTHYIs there not a large surplus in the fund?
31 Mr. ROBINSONasked the Minister of Health the number of old age pensions granted to persons between the ages of 65 and 70 in the 12 months ended 317
Mr. CHAMBERLAINAs regards England and Wales, the number of old age pensions granted to persons between the ages of 65 and 70 in the 12 months ending 31st December, 1928, was 579,626; the number of applications which were rejected was 67,525. The main grounds of rejection were inadequate insurance, age of claimant, or, where the wife was claiming in respect of her husband's insurance, the husband was found not to be qualified.
§ Mr. W. THORNEIn the case of a man or woman who is not in a position to produce a birth certificate, what arrangements are made for the purpose of establishing his or her claim?
25. Mr. ROBINSONasked the Minister of Health if persons aged between 65 and 70 years, whose claims to pension under the Widows', Orphans' and Old Age Contributory Pensions Act, 1925, were rejected on the ground that their insurance had lapsed owing to unemployment, may submit a fresh claim by virtue of the provision made in the Health Insurance Act, 1928, that insurance shall not lapse if a person is unemployed and is genuinely seeking employment?
Mr. CHAMBERLAINThe hon. Member is under a misapprehension in thinking that claims to pension from persons between the age of 65 and 70 have been rejected on the ground that insurance had lapsed owing to unemployment. Regulations made under Subsection (2) of Section 30 of the Contributory Pensions Act provided for the continuance of insurance where genuine unemployment was established, and that arrangement has been made permanent by the National Health Insurance Act, 1928.