§ 38. Mr. Hamiltonasked the Minister of Labour whether, in view of the special needs of old people, he will consider the formulation of a separate cost-of-living index, based on the spending habits of old-age pensioners.
§ The Minister of Labour and National Service (Sir Walter Monckton)In 1951, the Cost-of-Living Advisory Committee expressed the view that there would be 1491 serious objection to the regular monthly publication of two or more official indices of retail prices. No doubt this question will be reconsidered by the Committee when the final results of the 1953 household expenditure inquiry are available, which I hope will be towards the end of this year.
§ Mr. HamiltonCould the Minister indicate what his own personal view is on this matter? Would he agree that the present cost-of-living index tends to give a distorted picture of the financial position of the old-age pensioners, and, if he does not agree with the formulation of a new index, would he make representations to his right hon. Friend the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance not to seek to justify the present position of the old folk with reference to the present cost-of-living index?
§ Sir W. MoncktonI think that there are considerations which the Committee which advises me on this ought to take into account, and that is why my answer to the Question was framed as it was.