§ Mr. Pentlandasked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance if, in view of the fact that no further reliefs were proposed in the Budget for old-age pensioners, he will arrange for a bonus payment of £5 to be paid to all old-age pensioners on the week ending 7th May, 1960, in order to assist them to celebrate a Royal occasion.
§ Miss Hornsby-SmithWhile my right hon. Friend appreciates that on the happy and auspicious occasion to which the hon. Member refers, many bodies and individuals may well wish to give special help to their less fortunate fellow-citizens, he has no power to use the National Insurance scheme for this purpose. Such use would, in any event, be quite inappropriate to a universal system of compulsory insurance covering every section of the community and every level of income.