37. Mr Milanasked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance if he will instruct his officers that Christmas bonus payments are to be disregarded in respect of the earnings rule as applied to widows, widowed mothers, and retirement pensioners.
§ Mr. N. MacphersonI have no power to do so. As my predecessor told the hon. Member on 19th February, decisions in these matters are made by independent statutory authorities.
§ Mr. MillanWill not the right hon. Gentleman take this power? Is he aware how very disappointing it is for widows and retirement pensioners to get a Christmas bonus from their employers and then to lose it through a reduction in their pensions? May this not appear to them to be a piece of calculated meanness on the part of the Minister? Could not the regulations be altered so that reasonable amounts of Christmas bonus could be excluded from the earnings consideration?
§ Mr. MacphersonThis arises out of the interpretation which has been given to "earnings". Under the terms of the National Insurance Act, 1946, earnings include any remuneration or profits derived from a gainful occupation, and, therefore, a bonus has to be taken into account.