§ 84. Mrs. Ewingasked the Minister of Social Security how many old age pensioners there are in Scotland and Wales, respectively; and if she will give an estimate of the cost of increasing the retirement pension by£2 in Scotland and Wales, respectively.
§ Mr. PentlandIn Scotland there are about 575,000 people receiving National Insurance retirement pensions and in Wales the number is about 335,000. It is estimated that increasing the standard rate of National Insurance retirement pension for a single person by£2 and other rates proportionately would cost about£55 million annually in Scotland and about£31 million annually in Wales.
§ Mr. William Hamiltonasked the Minister of Social Security (1) what is the current value of the income of a married couple aged over 65 years, with a rent of 30s. per week, and with only the retirement pension, taking October 1964 as 100;
(2) what is the total income of a retired married couple today, as compared with October 1964, taking into account the increase in the cost of living and assuming 28W the couple's only income is the retirement pension.
§ Mr. PentlandThe current value of the standard rate of National Insurance retirement pension for a married couple of£7 6s. a week represents an improvement in real terms of 25s. 1d. over the rate obtaining in October 1964, and, on the basis of comparison suggested by my hon. Friend assuming constant rent, the current figure would be 127.6.