§ Dr. Summerskillasked the Secretary of State for Social Services why, in his recent White Paper, he has not established the same retirement age for men and women.
§ Sir K. JosephTo reduce the minimum pension age for men would cause a massive increase in the cost of pensions and therefore in the contributions by which they are largely financed. Married women would gain as well as men, since the pensions of most married couples depend upon the husband's contributions and the amount of their joint benefit is generally the same whether or not the wife has reached pension age. To raise the pension age for women would make little saving therefore as regards married women. The only significant saving that would be made by raising the pension age for women would be in relation to single women who would be the main losers.