§ 19. Mr. Warbeyasked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance by what amount he estimates that retirement pensions would have to be raised in order that single pensioners and married couples, respectively, should receive the same fraction of the national income now as they did in 1947.
§ Mr. Boyd-CarpenterIt is estimated that if expenditure on retirement pensions in 1955–56 had been in the same proportion to national income as in 1947–48, the rates of pension would have been about 4s. 6d. a week less in the case of a single pensioner and about 7s. 6d. a week less for a married couple than the present rates.
§ Mr. WarbeyIs the Minister aware that he has not answered my Question, which related to the fraction of the 844 national income for the individual pensioner? Will he now give the answer to that Question? If he did, he would show that the pension ought to be increased by 4s. 6d. for a single person and 6s. 6d. for a married couple.
§ Mr. Boyd-CarpenterI have answered the Question the hon. Gentleman put on the Paper. If he will put down another one, I shall endeavour to answer that.
§ 21. Sir K. Josephasked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance what proportion of men now getting retirement pensions receive them at increased rates because of postponed retirement; what is the average amount of such increases; and what proportion of men currently qualifying for retirement pensions are getting such increments.
§ Mr. Boyd-CarpenterNearly a quarter of the men now getting retirement pensions receive them at increased rates because of postponed retirement. The average weekly amount of the increases is nearly 7s. 6d. Of men currently qualifying for retirement pensions, just over half are getting such increases and the average weekly amount of these is nearly 9s. 8d. a week.
§ Sir K. JosephWhile welcoming the very satisfactory state of affairs disclosed by my right hon. Friend's answer, may I ask whether it is the intention of part of the Bill which was recently tabled by him to increase even more the proportion of those who on final retirement will have earned increments?
§ Mr. Boyd-CarpenterI think it should certainly be the effect, if Parliament approves the Measure that I presented a few days ago, that there will be an increased earning of increments, and therefore an increase in the tendency which my answer indicates.
§ Mr. MarquandCan the right hon. Gentleman tell the House how many pensioners entitled to increments of this kind are denied the benefit of them because they are already on National Assistance?
§ Mr. Boyd-CarpenterThat is quite another question.
§ 29. Miss Burtonasked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance how many persons have begun to receive 845 retirement pensions in the Coventry area during the last six months; and how this compares with previous six-monthly periods.
§ Mr. Boyd-CarpenterI regret that this information is not available.
§ Miss BurtonDo I understand that the Minister has no information as to the numbers of people receiving retirement pensions in the Coventry area? Is he aware, even if he has not got those figures, that there is a trend for them to increase, and that the unions feel that this is a matter of unemployment which is concealed in that area, and they are very worried about it?
§ Mr. Boyd-CarpenterThat is a view which may be held. I express no opinion, because, as the hon. Lady will no doubt be aware, pension order books are issued direct from my Newcastle office to the post office chosen by the pensioner, and therefore the Coventry office has no record of the particular numbers at any particular time.