§ 18. Dame Edith Pittasked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance by how much the real value of the pensions and benefits of the National Insurance and Industrial Injuries schemes his improved since October 1951.
§ Mr. WoodAs the Answer contains a number of figures, I will, with permission, include a table in the OFFICIAL REPORT.
§ Dame Edith PittWould I be right in thinking that all these figures show an increase in purchasing power since 1951? Does this not mark up two credits, one to the Government, who have honoured their pledge that pensioners shall share in the increased prosperity, and secondly, to the management and workpeople who, under a private enterprise system, have brought about the production which has made the increase possible—contrary to what happened when the party opposite was in power?
Mrs. SlaterDoes the hon. Gentleman not realise that none of us is unaware of this death-bed repentance of Tory Members on the back benches, and that this pre-election stunt with no promise of doing anything for these people counts neither here nor outside? Does the right hon. Gentleman not realise that this argu-
| — | October, 1951 | Increase in real value comparing present rate with 1951 rate | |||||||||||
| Present rates of benefit | Rate payable | Equivalent at May, 1964 prices* | Amount (at current prices) | Per cent. | |||||||||
| £ | s. | d. | £ | s. | d. | £ | s. | d. | £ | s. | d. | ||
| Unemployed or sick person— | |||||||||||||
| Single man or woman | 3 | 7 | 6 | 1 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 18 | 11 | 1 | 8 | 7 | 73 |
| Married couple | 5 | 9 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 10 | 2 | 6 | 2 | 73 |
| Married couple with three children† | 8 | 11 | 0 | 3 | 7 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 4 | 3 | 10 | 8 | 71 |
| Widow, no children | 3 | 7 | 6 | 1 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 18 | 11 | 1 | 8 | 7 | 73 |
| Widow, three children† | 9 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 15 | 0 | 4 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 17 | 8 | 119 |
| Retirement pensioner— | |||||||||||||
| Single person | 3 | 7 | 6 | 1 | 10 | 0‡ | 2 | 4 | 11 | 1 | 2 | 7 | 50 |
| Married couple | 5 | 9 | 0 | 2 | 10 | 0‡ | 3 | 14 | 10 | 1 | 14 | 2 | 46 |
| Industrial disablement pensioner with pension at 100 per cent. rate (or persons with injury benefit) | 5 | 15 | 0 | 2 | 5 | 0 | 3 | 7 | 4 | 2 | 7 | 8 | 71 |
| * On the basis of the Retail Prices Index. | |||||||||||||
| †Including family allowances under Family Allowances Act 1945. | |||||||||||||
| ‡The higher of the two rates of retirement pension in payment from the autumn of 1951. |