§ 64. Sir JOHN BIRCHALLasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he can give any estimate of the cost of providing pensions of 10s. a week to spinsters at 55 years of age?
§ The FINANCIAL SECRETARY to the TREASURY (Mr. W. S. Morrison)The extra cost of pensions of 10s. a week to all spinsters at 55 years of age would be about £12,500,000 a year as regards the period up to the attainment of 70. To this would have to be added the cost of old age pensions at 70 (which I am unable to estimate) to spinsters who are not at present entitled to them.
Captain BALFOURIn view of the claim for equal opportunity and equal pay, and if the Government are to look upon this proposal with favour, is there not also a claim for unmarried men to have pensions at 55?