HC Deb 17 March 1964 vol 691 cc1165-7
13. Mr. W. Hamilton

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the current purchasing power of post-war credits worth £100 in 1945.

Mr. Boyd-Carpenter

The current purchasing power of post-war credits worth £100 in 1945 is now approximately £52. Since 1959, interest has been added and would now amount to £11 10s. on £100.

Mr. Hamilton

Can the right hon. Gentleman say what is the total figure currently outstanding, and does he not agree that this is a most outrageous example of the modern version of robbery without violence? If he is intent on getting a sense of justice and equity into our society, would it not be advisable for the Government to repay this forthwith?

Mr. Boyd-Carpenter

I cannot give the figure outstanding without notice. As the hon. Gentleman knows, we have in recent years considerably accelerated repayments. On his comment about robbery, the hon. Gentleman may be consoled to know that the figure had fallen from £100 to £71 by October, 1951.

22. Mr. Wainwright

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will take the necessary steps to ensure that a married woman, whose husband has qualified for repayment of his post-war credits, shall also be able to receive her post-war credits if she has not been working during the same period upon which her husband's successful claim was based.

Mr. Boyd-Carpenter

No, Sir. The qualifications for repayment of post-war credits are related to the personal circumstances of the credit-holder, and I do not think an exception should be made in favour of married women on the grounds that their husbands have qualified,

Mr. Wainwright

Does the right hon. Gentleman realise what he is saying? Is he not aware that a married woman who has lived on her husband's earnings since the termination of the war must share his poverty if he is 26 weeks out of work because of an accident? If she shares that poverty, is she not also entitled to obtain her post-war credits? Would the right hon. Gentleman not agree that if the woman had been working she would have been able to claim her post-war credits? Is he not aware that some authorities are paying these post-war credits in circumstances of this kind? Will not he do something about it?

Mr. Boyd-Carpenter

The hon. Member will recall that when my right hon. Friend introduced the system of repayment of post-war credits on hardship grounds he warned the House that this was difficult to do and that if it was to work at all it would be necessary to have fairly clear-cut and definite rules? There was then no question—I do not remember that it was even raised—of passing from the personal circumstances of the post-war credit-holder to those of his wife or the other way round. The hon. Member's suggestion can be considered when the possibility arises of further repayment of post-war credits, but the system was fully discussed and approved by the House.