§ Mr. David Steelasked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he will consider setting up a review committee with discretionary powers to grant full pensions to bona fide retirement pensioners who were unaware of the effect on benefit entitlement of a failure to pay contributions.
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§ Mr. DeanI do not think that such a committee is required. Provisions exist for the late payment of contributions for retirement pension purposes in certain circumstances. For people who receive no retirement pension, or one at less than the standard rate, and whose income is insufficient to meet their requirements, there is the supplementary benefit scheme.