§ 26. Mr. Awberyasked the Minister of National Insurance if she will consider revising the regulations regarding late entrants into insurance and reducing the qualifying period for pensions from 10 to five years.
§ Dr. SummerskillNo, Sir. This proposal would require legislation to reverse a carefully considered provision of the National Insurance Act, 1946.
§ Mr. AwberyIs the Minister aware that a man who was 63 in 1948 cannot reach pension age until he is 73, and that during those 10 years he has to make a contribution out of any superannuation funds he may be receiving? Is not that a hardship?
§ Dr. SummerskillI am sure that my hon. Friend will realise that in devising any scheme we must take into consideration certain actuarial calculations. It is unfortunate that certain people at that period will not benefit perhaps as much as their children or grandchildren may; but that has always happened, whatever the scheme may have been.
§ Mr. AwberyIs it not a fact that those coming into the scheme in 1946 were allowed to pay for five years in order to receive benefit? Cannot we make the period five years for people who came into the scheme in 1948?
§ Dr. SummerskillAs I have said, that would upset the whole balance of the scheme.