§ Sir Brandon Rhys Williams asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many men are currently drawing dependency additions with their State retirement pensions on behalf of wives who are less than 65 years of age, and are either earning or have investment income of their own.
§ Mrs. Chalker: I regret that information is not available in the form requested since, for the purpose of such payments, it is not necessary to ask for notification of earnings which are below the earnings limit, or of investment income. At November 1980 a total of 170,220 men were drawing dependency additions with their 483W retirement pension in respect of a wife or other adult dependant. A wife over pension age is entitled to a retirement pension in her own right.
§ Sir Brandon Rhys Williams asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many women aged between 60 and 65 years are in receipt of retirement pension (a) in their own right and (b) on the contribution record of their husbands.
§ Mrs. Chalker: I refer my hon. Friend to table 13.34 on pages 75 and 76 of "Social Security Statistics 1980", a copy of which is in the Library.
§ Sir Brandon Rhys Williams asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is his estimate of expenditure in 1981–82 and at 1981 cash prices on retirement pensions paid to women aged between 60 and 65 years distinguishing between women who are entitled to pension on their own contribution record and those who are entitled through the contribution record of their husbands.
§ Mr. Rossi: £570 million and £530 million. These figures include expenditure where the pension paid is based on both the woman's and her husband's insurance record.