§ 2.36 p.m.
§ BARONESS BROOKE OF YSTRADFELLTEMy Lords, I beg leave to ask the Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.
§ [The Question was as follows:
§ To ask Her Majesty's Government what benefits, in addition to their pension, are now available locally to retirement pensioners: and by what means these can be claimed by pensioners who have no weekly pension book because they receive their pensions quarterly.]
§ LORD BOWLESMy Lords, some local authorities and other organisations do provide certain benefits locally for retirement pensioners, but these are entirely at the discretion of the organisations concerned and vary very widely according to locality. A pensioner who is paid quarterly, and does not therefore have a pension order book, can be issued, on request with a card which affirms his entitlement to retirement pension and is, I understand, normally acceptable in lieu of a pension order book.
§ BARONESS BROOKE OF YSTRADFELLTEMy Lords, while thanking the noble Lord for that reply to my Question, may I ask him two further questions? First, how does such a pensioner obtain that card, and from whom? Secondly, will it be possible to be sure there is sufficient publicity so that those who draw their pension quarterly will know of this arrangement?
§ LORD BOWLESMy Lords, with regard to the second question of the noble Baroness, I think that her Question and my Answer may draw some attention to the position to which she has referred. As regards where to obtain this card, a retirement pensioner should write direct to the Ministry of Social Security, Central Pensions Branch (Quarterly Payments), Newcastle-upon-Tyne.