§ 14. Mr. Hunterasked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance the total increase in the number of old-age pensioners who have made applications for supplementary allowances to the National Assistance Board for the period from 1st January, 1957, to 31st March, 1957.
§ Mr. Boyd-CarpenterI am informed by the National Assistance Board that between 18th December, 1956, and 26th March, 1957, the number of weekly National Assistance grants paid as supplements to retirement pensions increased by about 15,000 to 942,000, and the number paid as supplements to non-contributory old-age pensions fell by about 3,000 to 148,000.
§ Mr. HunterDoes that reply not indicate that there is an increasing number 616 of old-age pensioners seeking supplementary pensions? Does the Minister not think there is an urgent need for an increase in the basic rate of old-age pensions—an increase which is long overdue?
§ Mr. Boyd-CarpenterThere have been moderate increases in the number of retirement pensioners resorting to assistance for every one of the December-March quarters for the last six or seven years. The percentage of retirement pensioners seeking supplementation is still below that of 1953 and 1954.