§ 18. Mr. Gowerasked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance if he will introduce legislation to amend the provisions of the Second Schedule to the National Assistance Act, 1948, in order to increase the sums disregarded by the National Assistance Board in view of changed conditions and the changed value of money.
§ The Minister of Pensions and National Insurance (Mr. John Boyd-Carpenter)I have no proposals for legislation on this subject.
§ Mr. GowerWill my right hon. Friend take account of the fact that since these disregards were fixed successive Governments have deemed it appropriate to increase the amount of the basic pension on several occasions? Does he not therefore think it reasonable that these disregards should be reviewed and changed?
§ Mr. Boyd-CarpenterAs my hon. Friend has very fairly said, it has been the policy of successive Governments to put what money was available into improvements in the rates of assistance, with 684 the result that all benefited, whether they had income to disregard or not.
§ Mr. J. GriffithsThe right hon. Gentleman was not here a moment or two earlier when some hon. Members opposite pressed him and his colleagues to bring the horticultural tariff up to a realistic figure, taking account of the increase in the cost of living. I presume that the Government will pay some attention to what their hon. Friends ask them to do at this stage. Does not the Minister realise that it has become a disincentive to saving that we have not made any changes in the amounts of these disregards since 1948?
§ Mr. Boyd-CarpenterThe right hon. Gentleman is as familiar as anybody else in the House with the reasons why successive Governments have taken that line. As for the opening remarks of his supplementary question, I do not think it is any part of my duty today to answer supplementaries relating to the previous round of Questions.