§ 11. Mr. Doddsasked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance how many books with the new scale of allowances have been issued to old-age pensioners up to the latest convenient date; and in how many cases the increases are restricted to 2s. 6d. for single pensioners and 4s. for married couples.
§ Mr. PeakeI assume that the hon. Member is referring to the review of Assistance allowances consequent upon the new Assistance Regulations approved in December. About one million cases have been reviewed, and increases in excess of the sums mentioned by the hon. Member were given in about 40,000 cases.
§ Mr. DoddsIs not the right hon. Gentleman evading the Question? Does he not appreciate that the information which has been sought in the past few weeks is how many old-age pensioners will not get 7s. 6d. and 11s., but 2s. 6d. and 4s.? Can he deny that 700,000 single old-age pensioners will not get 7s. 6d. but only 2s. 6d.?
§ Mr. PeakeI am afraid that I cannot affirm or deny any such figures, because 1722 the only figures we have of the number of pensioners receiving particular amounts of Assistance are those discovered by taking a sample of 2½per cent. in the first week of November each year. Therefore, we cannot tell what will be the number of persons on Assistance getting a particular amount of increase under the old-age pensions provisions during the coming months.
§ Mr. DoddsDoes the Minister not recollect that in a written answer on 21st February he said that 700,000 single persons whose Assistance rate had been increased by 2s. 6d. a week would not have their total incomes increased by the new pension rates? Why is he so hesitant about giving details of the very shabby treatment of old-age pensioners?
§ Mr. PeakeThat Question is not quite the same as that on the Order Paper. If the hon. Member would care to meet me or the Parliamentary Secretary, we will try to explain the practical difficulty in supplying the figures for which he has asked.