§ 3. Mr. Frank Allaunasked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance to what extent the difference between National Assistance payments and average wages has increased or diminished since 1948; and what is his policy regarding the relationship between these in the future.
§ The Minister of Pensions and National Insurance (Mr. John Boyd-Carpenter)The current National Assistance scale 3 rates for a single householder and for a married couple are, respectively, 123 per cent. and 125 per cent. higher than the rates in July, 1948. This compares with increases of 129 per cent. from April, 1948, to October, 1961, in the average weekly earnings of adult male manual workers in the industries grouped in the Ministry of Labour's twice-yearly surveys and of 86 per cent. from July, 1948, to January, 1962, in the Index of Wage Rates. It will continue to be our aim to give to recipients of assistance a share in the rising standard of living of the community as a whole.
§ Mr. AllaunDoes the Minister agree that the drop in income on retirement is far too great and that at least until the pension reaches an adequate level every increase in pension should be accompanied by an equal increase in the National Assistance benefit; otherwise the very poorest will benefit least, as they did from the last increase?
§ Mr. Boyd-CarpenterOn the last point, the difficulty is that if that happened the hon. Gentleman and his hon. Friends would then quarrel with the large number of people receiving supplements to retirement pensions. They cannot have it both ways. The hon. Gentleman's supplementary question goes far beyond the original Question, the Answer to which merely shows that the percentage increase in the National Assistance Scales is substantially more than that in wage rates over the period which he selected.
| THE FOLLOWING TABLE GIVES AN ANALYSIS OF THE NUMBERS OF AUTHORISATIONS FOR THE PAYMENT OF WEEKLY NATIONAL ASSISTANCE ALLOWANCES CURRENT AT THE END OF EACH YEAR IN THE AREA SERVED BY THE NATIONAL ASSISTANCE BOARD'S OFFICE IN ST. HELENS, WHICH EXTENDS BEYOND THE TOWN AND SINCE THE MIDDLE OF 1955 HAS COVERED A SOMEWHAT SMALLER AREA THAN FORMERLY | ||||||
| Year | Assistance paid in supplementation of insurance benefits | Assistance paid in supplementation of non-contributory old age pension | Assistance to persons not receiving such pensions or benefit | Totals | ||
| 1951 | … | … | 3,415 | 253 | 1,093 | 4,761 |
| 1952 | … | … | 4,111 | 307 | 1,266 | 5,684 |
| 1953 | … | … | 4,346 | 303 | 1,339 | 5,988 |
| 1954 | … | … | 4,456 | 289 | 1,354 | 6,099 |
| 1955 | … | … | 3,619 | 283 | 1,217 | 5,119 |
| 1956 | … | … | 3,846 | 291 | 1,211 | 5,348 |
| 1957 | … | … | 4,082 | 273 | 1,237 | 5,592 |
| 1958 | … | … | 3,745 | 237 | 1,375 | 5,357 |
| 1959 | … | … | 4,387 | 232 | 1,529 | 6,148 |
| 1960 | … | … | 4,950 | 198 | 1,581 | 6,729 |
| 1961 | … | … | 4,780 | 191 | 1,496 | 6,467 |
§ Mr. Hector HughesIs the phenomenal rise in the cost of living taken into account when these calculations are made and, if so, in what way?
§ Mr. Boyd-CarpenterIf the hon. and learned Member had studied the Question he would have seen that it is expressed in terms of increases in the cash value of these things.
§ 9. Mr. Spriggsasked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance how many people in the St. Helens constituency were in receipt of both National Insurance benefits and National Assistance allowance in each year since 1951 up to the latest convenient date; and what were the numbers in receipt of National Assistance only in each year since 1951 to the latest convenient date.
§ The Joint Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Pensions and National Insurance (Mrs. Margaret Thatcher)As the Answer contains a number of figures, I will, with permission, circulate it in the OFFICIAL REPORT.
§ Mr. SpriggsHave the recent increases in the supplementary allowance been made because of rent and rate increases?
§ Mrs. ThatcherThat is a rather different question from the one on the Order Paper, but I will certainly let the hon. Member know the answer by letter.
§ Following is the Answer:
5§ 27. Mr. Smallasked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance what was the average weekly supplement paid by the National Assistance Board to retired couples at the latest convenient period.
§ Mr. Boyd-CarpenterAt the end of 1961, 21s. 8d.
§ Mr. SmallDoes not this indicate that the pension is inadequate and it is time that the scale was reviewed?
§ Mr. Boyd-CarpenterNo, Sir; it does not indicate anything of the sort. It indicates the very wide variety of needs to be found among our older fellow-citizens which have to be met by varying payments of supplement—for example, the very considerable difference in rents between Scotland and the South.