§ 30. Mr. Houghtonasked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance, whether he will refer to the National Insurance Advisory Committee the desirability of abolishing the rule under which a woman over 60 marrying a retirement pensioner may be placed under certain disabilities as regards wife's allowance and widow's pension.
§ Mr. N. MacphersonThe three-year qualifying period applies only to the very small proportion of women marrying at ages over 60 who have no existing title to retirement pension or equivalent benefit. The provision seems to me a reasonable safeguard and I see no grounds for asking the Advisory Committee to review it at this time.
§ Mr. HoughtonWill the right hon. Gentleman say whether he thinks that the small number of people caught by the so-called three-year rule justifies continuing it? Surely he realises that there can be very few cases of alleged abuse by single women without insurance qualifications of their own marrying dying men in order to get the widow's benefit?
§ Mr. MacphersonThe three-year rule applies whether the widow is under 60 or not. This matter was considered by the Advisory Committee eighteen months ago, and I do not think it would be worthwhile putting it before the Committee again. The rule seems a reasonable safeguard.