HC Deb 01 February 1965 vol 705 cc700-2
7. Mr. Peter Walker

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance what the cost would be of providing all widows under the age of 60 years who are not now in receipt of any pension with a pension of £1 10s. a week.

The Minister of Pensions and National Insurance (Miss Margaret Herbison)

About £3 million a year immediately, rising to about £9 million a year.

Mr. Walker

Can the Minister assure the House that one of the priorities for future action on her part will be to have particular regard to those widows between the ages of 50 and 60 who are in receipt of no pension at all? Should not this matter already have been given some priority?

Miss Herbison

I assure the hon. Member that in the general review the position of widows generally will be looked into carefully. I would also say that the hon. Member is expecting the present Government to have done during these few months what was not done in 13 years by the Government of his own party.

Mr. Walker

Does not the Minister agree that she has given some pensioners who were in receipt of 10s. in this category an increased pension, whereas some of those who are in receipt of nothing at all have received nothing whatever?

Miss Herbison

That is true. The widows who had 10s. had never had any increase. The increase which was given to them on their pension, which they had by right, was to bring their pension up to the purchasing power which it had originally.

8. Mr. Ian Gilmour

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance whether she will introduce a sliding scale pensions scheme for those who are widowed under the age of 50 years.

Miss Herbison

I have already made it clear that the structure of widows' benefits is one of the matters which will be considered in the course of our review of social security arrangements.

Mr. Gilmour

When making the review, will the Minister bear in mind that a lot of resentment is caused by the all or nothing dividing line at the age of 50 and that a lot of resentment would be reduced if somewhat lower pensions could be paid to those who are widowed between the ages of 45 and 50?

Miss Herbison

I have this very much in mind. Indeed, if the hon. Member cares to read the policy statement in "New Frontiers for Social Security", he will find it stated there clearly.

Lord Balniel

Can the right hon. Lady tell us whether the policy statement in "New Frontiers for Social Security" still remains the pledge of hon. Members opposite, because in all other respects it seems to have been totally abandoned?

Miss Herbison

The noble Lord has no evidence whatever that it has been totally abandoned. It is still our policy.

19. Lieut.-Commander Maydon

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance what proportion of the 10s. any-other-case industrial injuries widows will receive increased benefit of 30s. a week under the National Insurance Act, 1964.

The Joint Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Pensions and National Insurance (Mr. Harold Davies)

I assume that the hon. and gallant Member is referring to the 20s. industrial injuries "other case" widows. It is estimated that about two-thirds of these widows will have their widow's benefit increased to 30s. a week.

Lieut.-Commander Maydon

The hon. Gentleman is quite right. I was referring to the 20s. and not the 10s. one. 'That was a slip of the pen. But does he not remember saying that the majority of these widows would be covered by the new Act? I was trying to find out from him what he meant by having said on 3rd December that the majority would be covered by the new Act. Furthermore, could he tell us, please, what stage this inquiry by the Industrial Injuries Advisory Council has reached, and when we are likely to get answers to some of these problems?

Mr. Davies

Yes. The answer to the first part of the supplementary question is that the majority are covered. The answer to the second part of the question is that the T.U.C. 1963–64 congress was aware of this reference to the Industrial Injuries Advisory Council which the hon. and gallant Gentleman's own Government made. We are still awaiting the Council's advice. It is a long-drawn-out problem, but we hope we shall get the reply in the not too distant future.

Lieut.-Commander Maydon

Does the not too distant future mean a matter of months or weeks?

Mr. Davies

The not too distant future means exactly what I said.