§ 38. Mr. Manuelasked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance, in view of the increasing numbers of people drawing National Assistance, whether he will now agree to increase the retirement pension.
§ 35. Mr. Allaunasked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance if he will consider raising the retirement pension during 1960.
§ Mr. Boyd-CarpenterAs I told the hon. Member for Salford, East (Mr. Allaun) in answer to his previous Question on this subject, we are keeping the rates of retirement pension and other benefits under review. As regards National Assistance, the scales of supplementary pensions were substantially increased last September to a higher standard than ever before, which is bound to affect the numbers being drawn now as compared with the numbers being drawn before this improvement was made.
§ Mr. ManuelWhile recognising what the right hon. Gentleman has said about the larger numbers, because of the slight increase in the scale, may I ask whether he can indicate to the House what further proof he wants of actual poverty among old-age pensioners before he agrees to the scale?
§ Mr. Boyd-CarpenterThat is far too big a question to deal with by way of question and answer, but, as the hon. Member well knows, retirement pensioners now come from every section of the community and generalisations such as he made are, with respect, not very helpful in this matter. The hon. Member will appreciate that if we raise the real value of National Assistance, as we did last year for the first time since 1948, the automatic effect must be to make more people eligible to draw it. As I 925 said in reply to an earlier Question, we are anxious that all who are entitled to draw it should do so.