OLD AGE PENSIONS.

HC Deb 23 May 1940 vol 361 c303

44. Mr. Anderson

asked the Minister of Health whether a person having attained 70 years of age will be entitled to apply for a supplementary pension under the Old Age Pensions Acts?

Mr. M. MacDonald

Provided that he has an old age pension any person, other than a blind person, will be entitled to apply to the Assistance Board to have his pension supplemented under Part II of the Old Age and Widows' Pensions Act.

Mr. Anderson

Does that mean that the means test at present operating in the case of persons over 70 years of age will be disregarded, and that they will then have to come under whatever new means test is applied?

Mr. MacDonald

Persons qualified for old age pensions will come under the Regulations, which will be published shortly.

Mr. Anderson

May I repeat the point? Will the present means test operating in respect of people over 70 years of age receiving the present old age pensions, be disregarded, and will the new Regulations have effect as regards those people?

Mr. MacDonald

The new Regulations will apply to all those who apply for supplementary pensions.

Mr. Woods

Can the Minister give us something more precise than "shortly" as to when this begins?

Mr. MacDonald

There is another Question on the Order Paper on that point.

Mr. George Griffiths

Is a widow who is not yet 60 and is drawing a pension for herself and children, to be given supplementation?