§ Mr. Peter Mahonasked the Minister of Social Security if she is aware that it is now time to discontinue the practice of 183W reducing the amount of payment due to retirement pensioners in lieu of shortage of stamps prior to 1948; and if she will take steps to ensure that such arrears do not have to be made good.
§ Miss HerbisonThere are already provisions to enable gaps in contribution records which arose during 1947–48 to be made good by retrospective payment, both for retirement and widows' pensions. I do not think that in fairness all-round we could go beyond this under our contributory scheme of National Insurance.