Deferred Retirement

HC Deb 17 February 1958 vol 582 cc845-6

16. Mr. Kershaw

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance the number of insured persons over pensionable age who are receiving increased pensions by reason of deferred retirement and the number who are currently earning the right to future increased pensions.

30. Mr. Hunter

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance the number of persons of retirement age who continue in employment; and if he will consider taking measures to increase the increments on retirement pensions for those who continue in employment after retirement age.

Mr. Boyd-Carpenter

It is estimated that about 840,000 pensioners, including wives and widows drawing pensions on their husbands' insurance, are receiving increased pensions by reason of deferred retirement. About 450,000 insured men and women are currently earning higher pensions by deferring retirement, and about 150,000 of these are also earning increments for their wives. As to the amounts of the increments, I have nothing to add to what was said in the debate last November during the passage of the National Insurance Bill.

Mr. Kershaw

Is my right hon. Friend able to give the percentage of men now qualifying for these increased pensions and the percentage of women who are qualifying by their own insurance for these increments?

Mr. Boyd-Carpenter

Of the men now retiring, 51 per cent. have earned some increment or other. The number in the case of women who retire is somewhat smaller, and I should be grateful to my hon. Friend to have notice of that question.

Mr. Hunter

Will the Minister bear in mind the last point of my question? The present increment is based on a retirement pension of £2 a week. As the retirement pension is now £2 10s., is there not a case for increasing the increments?

Mr. Boyd-Carpenter

The hon. Member may recall that we discussed this matter at some length during the Committee stage of the Bill last November, when I gave the reason, which seemed to us valid, that it was wiser on this occasion to concentrate the money on the basic rate rather than to add to the increments.