HC Deb 10 July 1970 vol 803 cc1093-4

Queen's Recommendation having been signified—

Motion made, and Question proposed, That, for the purposes of any Act of the present Session to provide for retirement pension and widow's benefit under the National Insurance Act 1965 for or in respect of persons over pensionable age on 5th July, 1948, it is expedient to authorise the payment out of moneys provided by Parliament of—

  1. (1) payments of benefit under the said Act of 1965 by way of attendance allowance or for or in respect of such persons as aforesaid at rates not exceeding—
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    1. (a) in the case of attendance allowance, £4 a week;
    2. (b) in the case of a retirement pension for such a person, £3 a week apart from any increase under the said Act of 1965 for a child or an adult dependant;
    3. (c) in the case of a retirement pension for the wife of such a person, £1 17s. a week apart from any such increase;
  2. (2) such payments by way of adjustment as the Secretary of State determines are appropriate in consequence of the operation of any enactment relating to the repayment or setting-off of benefit under the said Act of 1965 or other payments;
  3. (3) any increase attributable to the said Act of the present Session in the sums payable out of such moneys under any other enactment,
and the payment into the Consolidated Fund of any sums required by virtue of the said Act of the present Session to be paid into that fund.—[Mr. Higgins.]

3.40 p.m.

Mr. Douglas Houghton (Sowerby)

Are we not to hear from the Minister of State on the question why the Resolution restricts the scope for amendment of the amounts of certain benefits? May we have some explanation of that?

The Under-Secretary of State, Department a Health and Social Security (Mr. Paul Dean)

I shall be pleased to give the right hon. Gentleman an explanation. I was only waiting to see whether or not he wanted an explanation, which is very often not called for on a Money Resolution.

However pleasant it might be to forget the fact, the Government have to discharge their responsibilities in regard to public expenditure, and this has always been recognised as a justification for drawing Money Resolutions more tightly than would otherwise be the case.

The right hon. Gentleman will be aware that there are respectable precedents for this being done. The Labour Administration adopted the practice in the Family Allowances and National Insurance Bill, 1967, which raised family allowances by 7s. a week, and again in the Family Allowances and National Insurance (No. 2) Bill, 1968, which raised family allowances by a further 3s. a week. No objection was made to the Money Resolution on either occasion.

Question put and agreed to.