§ Mrs. Chalkerasked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) what have been the numbers of (a) disallowed sickness benefit and (b) paid sickness benefit at a reduced rate because of insufficient contributions for each year since 1965;
(2) what have been the numbers disallowed invalidity pension because of insufficient contributions for each year since 1971.
§ Mr. Alec JonesInformation is not available in the precise form requested or for the whole of the period. The following table sets out the numbers of persons submitting evidence of incapacity at the end of each of the statistical years 1967-73 but either not receiving any sickness benefit—or, since its introduction, invalidity benefit—because they failed to satisfy the minimum contribution conditions altogether; or not receiving the full rate of sickness benefit because of a deficient contribution record:
record prior to 1969 is not available. Since then the figures are:
1969 3,247 1970 3,320 1971 3,270 1972 2,987 1973 2,835 1974 January-November 2,669 No record is kept of the numbers of claims allowed at a reduced rate because of a deficient contribution record, but approximately 5 per cent. of pensions in payment are reduced for this reason.