§ 24. Mr. Rossasked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance if he will state the difference between the average weekly earnings of a male worker and the retirement pension payable in respect of husband and wife at the most recent available date; and if he will give the same figures for October, 1951, October. 1955. and October. 1959. respectively.
§ Mr. Boyd-CarpenterOn the basis of the Ministry of Labour's half-yearly earnings inquiries, the difference between the standard rate of retirement pension for a couple and the average level of earnings for men amounted to 69.9 per cent of earnings in 1961. The figure for 1951 is the same, and for 1955 and 1959 70.8 and 70.5 per cent., respectively.
§ Mr. RossWill the right hon. Gentleman translate these figures for these respective periods into £s, shillings and pence?
§ Mr. Boyd-CarpenterNo, Sir—not at any rate by way of lightning calculation in the absence of my computer.
§ Mr. RossI would have thought that it would have been very much easier, since these figures were originally in £s, shillings and pence, for the Minister to have given them like that. Has he not got this information with him?
§ Mr. Boyd-CarpenterWhatever the hon. Gentleman may have thought, I have answered the Question which he put on the Order Paper.
§ Mr. RossThe Question I put on the Order Paper is there to be read. I asked what the difference was. I did not ask for any percentage. Will he now answer the Question?
§ Mr. Boyd-CarpenterI have already done so, and I have sufficient regard for the hon. Gentleman's mathematical ability to have little doubt of his power to translate the figures.