HC Deb 11 February 1957 vol 564 cc127-9W
95. Mr. G. Thomas

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance whether he will take powers to increase the basic retirement pension to a level comparable with the scale of Government assistance given to Hungarian refugees in this country.

Miss Pitt

There is no such scale. Those few refugees who are temporarily on National Assistance receive the normal scale rates, while the refugees in hostels until they are resettled are maintained by the British Council for Aid to Refugees.

96. Mr. G. Thomas

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance what arrangements he has made, in reply to their request to him for such an opportunity, for discussing with the National Federation of Old-Age Pensioners their demand for an increase in the basic pension; and whether he will make a statement.

Miss Pitt

As my right hon. Friend told the hon. Member for Feltham (Mr. Hunter) on 19th November I saw a deputation from this body on 14th November, and my right hon. Friend was also able to present during part of the discussion.

97. Mr. G. Thomas

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance whether he will state the number of retired pensioners who received National Assistance in November, 1954, 1955 and 1956, respectively.

Miss Pitt

These figures are not available for the month of November, but I can give the hon. Member those for December. The number of weekly assistance grants current in December as supplements to retirement pensions was 1,001,000 in 1954, 888,000 in 1955 and 927,000 in 1956. Some of the grants provided for the requirements of a household with more than one pensioner.

98. Mr. Hunter

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance the numbers of old-age pensioners who received assistance from the National Assistance Board in 1956.

Miss Pitt

The Board informs my right hon. Friend that it is not known how many different persons received grants in the course of the year, but that in December, 1956, 927,000 weekly assistance grants were being paid as supplements to national insurance retirement pensions and 152,000 as supplements to non-contributory old age pensions. Some of the grants provided for the requirements of a household with more than one pensioner.