§ Mr. John Hallasked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance to what age a self-employed and an employed man retiring at 70 years of age would need to live in order to recover the amount forgone in pension and paid in contributions during the five years from 65 to 70.
§ Mr. Boyd-CarpenterThe Answer is subject to wide variations, depending on whether the man is single or married, the age of his wife, the existence of other dependants, and the amount of unemployment or sickness benefit drawn during the five years. In the case of single men it could range, in extreme cases, from six years and three months to sixteen years in the case of a self-employed man, and from five years and eight months to fifteen and a half years in the case of an employed man. No calculation is possible in respect of married men, since in their case the increments they earn are normally transferred after their deaths to the retirement pensions payable to their widows.