§ 79. Mr. SHEPHERDasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he can estimate what would be the net cost, if any, of giving maintenance grants of 5s. to the 400,000 school-leaving children, aged 14, and pensions of £1 additional to the present 10s. for the 340,000 workers, aged 65 and over, who are still in industry, after taking into account the saving on the unemployment benefit and Poor Law relief for those for whom vacancies would thus be created?
§ Mr. P. SNOWDENI am afraid that the figures quoted by the hon. Member would not provide a reliable basis for estimating the cost of pensions over 65. Further there are no data available on which it would be possible to estimate the savings to the Unemployment Fund and in Poor Law relief which the measures referred to in the question might produce. It is probable however that the saving under these heads would be relatively small, and it is practically certain that none of it would reach the Exchequer, which would have to bear the whole cost of the suggested pensions.