§ 12. Mr. Owenasked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance if he will remove the earning limit enforced upon old-age pensioners; and whether he will make a statement.
§ 3. Mr. Hector Hughesasked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance if he will take immediate steps to abolish the rule which limits the earning power of old-age pensioners.
§ Mr. Boyd-CarpenterI refer the hon. Members to the reply which I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Edinburgh, West (Sir I. Clark Hutchison) on 11th November.
§ Mr. OwenIs the Minister aware that if quite recently a civil servant retired and then more recently took up another appointment, his pension is not affected by his new employment? Until such times as we can remove poverty in old age, is it not desirable that what applies to the civil servant should also apply to the other pensioners within the community?
§ Mr. Boyd-CarpenterThe hon. Gentleman will no doubt recall that from the beginning of this scheme the view of Lord Beveridge was accepted, which was that if an adequate pension were to be provided at the age of 65 for men and 60 for women a retirement condition was essential to it if the burden were to be carried. That view has been held by successive Governments since the Scheme began.