§ Mrs. Ewingasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will take 592W steps to introduce a scheme to improve the position of the disabled housewife and to institute a national disability income.
§ Mr. SwinglerThe National Insurance scheme already provides sickness benefit without limit of time for ill and disabled people. An increase of a husband's sickness or unemployment benefit or retirement pension is paid for a dependent wife; and a wife can get a retirement pension on her husband's insurance at age 60, if he has retired. As to further developments of the scheme 1 must ask the hon. Member to await our White Paper.