HC Deb 24 March 1958 vol 585 cc15-7
27. Mrs. L. Jeger

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance what sentences were passed on the 86 widowed mothers summoned during 1957 for false declarations of earnings; and what warnings were given before prosecution.

The Minister of Pensions and National Insurance (Mr. John Boyd-Carpenter)

Of these 86 prosecutions, one resulted in imprisonment for six weeks and 58 in fines ranging from £2 to £30. Of the remaining 27, convictions were recorded in 24 cases but without the imposition of a fine, two were dismissed and one was withdrawn. Both the notice sent to a widow when she is awarded widowed mother's allowance and the order book containing the weekly allowance orders contain clear and prominent warnings about the duty to declare earnings and the penalties for not doing so.

Mrs. Jeger

Does that mean that no specific warnings were given to the widows before the prosecutions were brought? Do I understand that they received only the general circular and that there was no preliminary warning?

Mr. Boyd-Carpenter

I must not attempt, without notice, to answer about the precise circumstances of 86 different cases. The hon. Lady asked for the sentences and not about warnings. If she had listened to my reply, she would know that I drew attention to the fact that in all cases there were clear and specific warnings contained on the outside of the book, on the inside of the book and on each individual order which had to be signed.

28. Mrs. L. Jeger

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance how much unearned income a widowed mother may receive without deductions being made from her widowed mother's allowance.

Mr. Boyd-Carpenter

Under the National Insurance Act, 1946, and subsequent National Insurance legislation, income other than earnings does not affect and has not affected any such payment.

Mrs. Jeger

Is there not something very unjust which might have some effect on a number of widows who are brought before the courts? Surely it is impossible, in the situation wherein a widowed mother can have an unlimited unearned private income without suffering any deduction from her allowance at all, that a widow with no income and who has to go out to work is allowed to earn only £156 before the Minister starts deductions from her widowed-mother allowance. Surely that ought to be looked into.

Mr. Boyd-Carpenter

I think the hon. Lady has not fully apprehended the essential feature of the original National Insurance Scheme, which is that National Insurance benefits are made available when earnings are not available and that to introduce, as she seems to imply, a means test into a contributory pension scheme would be wholly alien to the original conception and spirit of the scheme.

Mrs. Jeger

In view of the unsatisfactory nature of the reply, I beg to give notice that I shall raise this matter on the Adjournment.