§ Mr. Tony Durant (Reading, North)With your permission, Mr. Speaker, and that of the House, I beg leave to present a petition from the National Association of Widows drawing attention to their grievance regarding the overlapping benefits rule. Petitions on the same issue have been submitted, signed by more than 71,000 signatories from all parts of the country, including Northern Ireland. Those signatures will be presented to the Department of Health and Social Security.
The petition sheweth
That WIDOWS paying Class 1 National Insurance Contributions do not receive the benefits which are due from the payments of those said National Contributions and that receipt of a WIDOWS PENSION should not exclude them from entitlement to Sickness, Unemployment and Industrial injury benefits.Wherefore your Petitioners pray that your Honourable House will take steps to ensure that WIDOWS will either receive full benefit from their Class 1 National Insurance Contributions, or be no longer required to pay these said contributions.And your Petitioners, as in duty bound, will ever pray.
§ I beg leave to present the petition.
§ To lie upon the Table.