§ 22. Mr. Rossasked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance the number of retirement pensioners affected by the National Insurance Act, 1952, and the number of those whose increase was 2s. 6d. or 4s. with a dependant.
§ Mr. TurtonOver 4½ million retirement pensioners have benefited from the 1952 Act. Of these, just over 4 million had received an increase under the 1951 Act, and in their case further increases were limited to the amounts stated.
§ Mr. RossHow then can the Minister get up and tell us that the pensioners have received an increase of 25 per cent. when 4 million of them receive at most only 8½ per cent.?
§ Mr. TurtonThe importance of what we did in 1952 was to restore uniformity of benefit that had been so unfortunately destroyed by the 1951 Act.