§ 24. Mr. Beswickasked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance why he has been unable to put savings invested with co-operative societies on the same basis for disregards as other small savings for the purpose of assessing qualification for National Assistance.
§ Mr. Boyd-CarpenterAll small savings are treated alike by the National Assistance Board for disregard purposes, except that an additional disregard in respect of War Savings was introduced during the last war to encourage people to invest in such savings rather than in other ways.
§ Mr. BeswickDoes not the change in 1948, when certain small savings were put on an entirely different basis, completely alter the situation? Since so much of the co-operative savings to which I refer go to Government sources and are reinvested in Government 846 securities, does not the Minister think that now is the time, for example, to put Post Office savings and co-operative savings on the same basis?
§ Mr. Boyd-CarpenterNo, the War Savings disregard was, as I understand it, introduced primarily as a stimulus to War Savings and not as a considered part of the disregards system for the purposes of assistance. The point which the hon. Gentleman has in mind could much better be met by proposals to raise the disregards generally, which I hope the House will be discussing the day after tomorrow.