§ Mr. Donald Williamsasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he 66W will give an estimate of the number of pensionless widows who will have died between 1st June, 1969 and 31st March, 1972 based upon the number who died in 1967.
§ Mr. PentlandIt is estimated that the number of such widows under age 60 will be about 2,000.
§ Mr. Jenningsasked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether the pensionless and 30s. widow will be required to pay the increased National Insurance contributions due later this year; and how much he estimates such contributions will amount to in a full year.
§ Mr. EnnalsYes. Any widow who is liable to pay contributions will have to pay the increased contribution later this year in the same way as anybody else. It is estimated that the total amount of N.I. contributions payable by the widows to whom the question refers will amount to something of the order of £5 million in a full year.
§ Mr. Jenningsasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what steps he is taking to ensure that up-to-date explanatory pamphlets on widows' pensions are available in his Department's offices throughout the country.
§ Mr. EnnalsThere are three such leaflets: N.I.13, explaining widows benefits, including pensions, N.I.15A explaining retirement pensions for widows and N.I.51 which deals mainly with the contribution liability of widows. These are up to date and readily available through local offices. I am not aware of any problem but if the hon. Member has experience of difficulty perhaps he would write to me.