§ Mr. Liptonasked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance (1) how 272W much it will cost to increase from £3 10s. to £4 5s. weekly the amount which a widow can earn without reduction of pension;
(2) how much it will cost to abolish the earnings rule for all widows earning more than £4 5s. weekly.
§ Mr. N. MacphersonThe increase stated, which I have proposed for consideration by the National Insurance Advisory Committee, would cost some £700,000 and abolishing the earnings rule for widow pensioners about a further £41 million on the assumption that abolition could be restricted to them.
§ Mr. Liptonasked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance (1) how much it will cost to increase from £5 to £6 weekly the amount which a widowed mother can earn without reduction of pension;
(2) how much it will cost to abolish the earnings rule for all widowed mothers earning more than £6 weekly.
§ Mr. N. MacphersonThe increase stated, which I have proposed for consideration by the National Insurance Advisory Committee, would cost some £400,000, and abolishing the earnings rule for widowed mothers about a further £11 million on the assumption that abolition could be restricted to them.
§ Mr. Liptonasked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance how many widows and widowed mothers, respectively, will benefit financially by the raising of the earnings limit to £4 5s. and £6, respectively; and how many will not so benefit.
§ Mr. N. MacphersonIt is estimated that at any given date the benefits of about 30,000 widows and 15,000 widowed mothers would be increased and those of 325,000 and 130,000 respectively would not be affected by this change.
§ Mr. Liptonasked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance how many widows are receiving widow's pension of 10s. as a reserved right from the old contributory pension scheme; and what was the figure 10 years ago.
§ Mr. N. MacphersonAbout 85.000 and 190,000 respectively.