§ 5. Dame Joan Vickersasked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance what consideration is being given to the provision of a State pension for civilian disabled persons other than those entitled to industrial injury benefit.
§ Mr. PentlandI would refer the hon. Lady to the replies I gave to the hon. Member for Bournemouth, West (Sir J. Eden) on 31st January.
§ Dame Joan VickersWould not the hon. Gentleman agree that it would be much better to give these people a definite pension, particularly, for instance, victims of polio, on similar lines to what is done for the blind rather than that they should have to go to National Assistance for their weekly allowances?
§ Mr. PentlandI am aware of the hon. Lady's concern in these matters, and she will, I know, appreciate that my right hon. Friends the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and the Minister have personally assured the bodies interested in this problem that the difficulties of the chronic sick and the disabled will be fully examined and considered in our review of social security provisions.
§ Mr. WoodCan the hon. Gentleman say exactly what research into numbers and extent of disability, particularly so far as the problem applies to old people, is going on in his right hon. Friend's Department or the Department of the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster?
§ Mr. PentlandAll this is being considered in the investigations which are now taking place in the social security review.