HC Deb 04 November 1968 vol 772 cc472-3
26. Mr. Ridsdale

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services when he proposes to take steps to relax the earnings rule in respect of married women whose husbands are disabled and in receipt of National Insurance Benefit owing to their incapacity to work.

Mr. Swingler

I naturally sympathise with such households and appreciate the hon. Gentleman's concern for them. As has previously been said, this rule is being studied in the context of the wider problems of provision for dependency and for long-term incapacity in the new national insurance scheme.

Mr. Ridsdale

Is it not the truth that the Government are so poor and so much in debt that they cannot even afford this minor concession? What would it cost? Will the hon. Gentleman bring this in when the review comes in?

Mr. Swingler

No, Sir. The truth is that a whole series of improvements have been made in social benefits over a long period, based on a careful judgment of priorities. This matter is being carefully considered in relation to the White Paper which the Government will shortly be publishing.

Mr. J. T. Price

Can my hon. Friend tell the House how far the earnings rule in respect of married women was relaxed during the 13 years prior to 1964, when the Conservative Party administered this Department?

Mr. Swingler

The answer, of course, is not at all, but the earnings rule was relaxed in respect of pensioners by this Government. Likewise, we have been carefully considering the earnings rule in relation to dependants.

Dame Irene Ward

With regard to the question of my hon. Friend the Member for Harwich (Mr. Ridsdale), how many reports and how many recommendations will we need? How many times has this concession been asked for in Parliament? How long will democracy have to wait to have; its ideas implemented by an Executive who made all sorts of promises during the election campaign which have not been kept?

Mr. Swingler

It is not a question of the number of reports or the number of times that the question has been raised, but of the judgment about how to improve the social benefits. They have been improved in a variety of ways over a long period since this Government came in, and we still have to make a judgment on the earnings rule for dependants.