§ 42. Mr. Leachasked the Minister of Health whether he can give an estimate of the average age of widows now in receipt of pensions and also an estimate of the average age at which they entered pension rank, excluding in each case the pre-Act widows who entered by statute at 55 years of age.
§ Mr. ElliotThe average age of post-Act widows who were in receipt of widows' pensions at 31st December, 1937 (the latest date for which such information is available) was about 55 years and three months. Information is not available as to the average age at which the post-Act widows are awarded their pensions, but it is estimated that, on average, awards of such pensions are made at about age 51.