§ Mr. Ashdownasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what would be the cost of providing a means by which pensioners could prove that they are of pensionable age without having to produce their pension book or birth certificate.
§ Dr. BoysonIt would cost an estimated £1 million to £2 million in administration costs to issue form BR 464 to all pensioners as confirmation that they receive either a retirement pension or supplementary pension. Such costs cannot be entertained in present circumstances, and it is likely that their universal issue might serve to diminish their value among the agencies which now accept them as proof of age or retirement. Form BR 464 is now issued on request to those retirement pensioners who receive their pensions other than by means of a pension order book. There are various other ways in which age can be proved, subject to such ways being acceptable to the agencies concerned.