HC Deb 08 February 1977 vol 925 cc1205-6
2. Mr. Knox

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he will make a statement about the proposed extension of the non-contributory invalidity pension to married women.

The Under-Secretary of State for Health and Social Security (Mr. Alfred Morris)

As my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer indicated in his statement to the House on public expenditure on 22nd July last, the extension of non-contributory invalidity pension to disabled housewives is deferred until November 1977, and there is nothing I can add to my right hon. Friend's statement.

I am most grateful to the all-party Disablement Group in the House for the help its members, together with representatives of the Disablement Income Group, have given me in preparing to extend this new benefit to disabled housewives.

Mr. Knox

While accepting the financial and other difficulties involved, may I ask whether there is a chance of the Minister bringing the date forward sooner than he has announced?

Mr. Morris

The Chancellor made clear the reasons for the deferment. I am afraid that there is nothing I can add to my right hon. Friend's statement.

Mr. Carter-Jones

Is my hon. Friend aware that we were told that the extension was deferred for administrative reasons? Is my hon. Friend aware that if there had been no difficulties in that regard the money would now have been paid? A substantial number of people in the country, and on all sides of the House, are getting a little sick and tired of the fact that the worst off in our society are being penalised. Will my hon. Friend please convey to the Treasury the views of hon. Members on all sides of the House that this is wrong?

Mr. Morris

There have been administrative problems as well as the problem of resources. I appreciate how strongly my hon. Friend feels on the matter. I know he will appreciate that my right hon. Friend and I are also very concerned to make sure that this new benefit is in payment as soon as possible. There is nothing that I can add to the statement by my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer on the timing of the introduction of the benefit.

Mr. Boscawen

Is not more concern needed? It will shortly be three years since the House, by a overwhelming vote, expressed its desire to see this measure put into effect. It has been delayed for administrative reasons for much too long. Will the Minister do something about it?

Mr. Morris

I must repeat that there are reasons of resources as well as reasons of administration why it has not been possible to introduce the benefit earlier. I have said that I am grateful to those members of the all-party Disablement Group who have helped me to make sure that the scheme, when introduced, is not a botched one, as it might have been without their help. I am afraid that I cannot go further than the terms of my original answer.

Mr. Alexander Wilson

Is my hon. Friend satisfied that the non-contributory invalidity pension for disabled housewives can now be introduced without any inequity between cases of the same disability? Can my hon. Friend also say how many disabled housewives are likely to benefit from the new measure?

Mr. Morris

With regard to the second part of my hon. Friend's question, we expect that there will be 40,000 new beneficiaries. We are extremely concerned to make certain that there are no inequities. As with the present incapacity benefits, the question whether a married woman is entitled to the NCIP will be decided by the independent statutory authorities, in the first instance by an insurance officer with an appeal lying to the local tribunal, and then to a national insurance commissioner.