§ Mr. Houghtonasked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance what would be the estimated net saving to the National Insurance Scheme and the Exchequer, respectively, of raising, with effect from 1st January, 1960, the age at which retirement pension may be drawn 154W by women to 65, for dependent wives including dependent wives under 65, widows and women insured in their own right, respectively, in the years 1960, 1965, 1970 and 1980; and also how many wives aged 65 and over, by five year age groups, would be receiving a pension by virtue of their husband's insurance in each of the years 1960, 1965, 1970, and 1980.
§ Mr. Boyd-Carpenter:A detailed reply to the hon. Member's Question would require very elaborate calculations and assumptions. It is, however, estimated very broadly that, if the minimum pension age for women were raised to 65 and dependency increases for wives of retirement pensioners limited as indicated in his Question, the net saving on benefit expenditure from the National Insurance Fund would reach rather more than £60 million a year in the last of the years referred to in the Question.