§ 44. Mrs. L. Jegerasked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance to what pension a widow, aged 49 years, is entitled, whose husband has fully paid his contributions; and at what age she is entitled to an old-age pension.
§ Mr. Boyd-CarpenterI am sending the hon. Lady a leaflet which sets out more fully than is possible within the reasonable compass of a Parliamentary Answer the various conditions of eligibility for widows pensions. The earliest age of entitlement to a retirement pension is 60. If the hon. Lady has any particular case in mind, perhaps she will be good enough to let me know.
§ Mrs. JegerIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that the 10s. widow is having to contribute more than half of that pension to buy a stamp in order at some subsequent date to be entitled to a retirement pension? Will the right hon. Gentleman look again at the whole question of the 10s. widow, who is much worse off because her husband has died than the woman whose husband survives?
§ Mr. Boyd-CarpenterI am sure the hon. Lady will not overlook the fact that, within the last few weeks, I have made regulations which substantially improve the position in sickness and unemployment benefit for many of these widows.
§ Mrs. JegerWill the right hon. Gentleman agree that nothing he has said recently affects the position of the 10s. widow, who is in a particularly hard-hit category?
§ Mr. Boyd-CarpenterI am afraid the hon. Lady is misinformed, because the 10s. widow figures prominently among the ladies who are benefiting by this. If the hon. Lady studies the regulations, she will see that is so.